The Russian President said negotiations will continue at a meeting with UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he “hopes to reach agreements” with Ukraine through diplomatic channels. Negotiations between the countries continue online and he hopes they will lead to a “positive outcome,” he added.
The statements were made by the Russian leader Tuesday (Apr.26,2022) during a meeting with UN (United Nations) SecretaryGeneral António Guterres. Earlier, the Secretary General met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
According to Putin, Ukraine and Russia made a “major breakthrough” in negotiations after their March 29 meeting in Istanbul, Turkey. But the situation has changed “dramatically” due to reports of civilian deaths at the hands of Russian forces in Bucha, he said.
“She [a Ucrânia] They deviated from their earlier intentions to put aside issues of security guarantees and the territories of Crimea, Sevastopol and the Donbass republics. They just gave up,” he said.
The Russian President’s statement addresses proposals for a ceasefire from the war announced during negotiations in Turkey.
At that time, Ukrainian negotiators said that the country was ready to adopt neutral status and abandon its membership of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). It also agreed not to have any foreign military bases on Ukrainian territory.
However, Ukraine set one condition: it demanded that the country’s security be guaranteed. To this end, he wants to bring about a collective defense agreement, similar to the one that exists in NATO.
Ukraine also agreed to discuss the situation in Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 and home to the city of Sevastopol.
Earlier, Lavrov said Russia is committed to a diplomatic solution through talks with the Ukrainian government.
Also after the meeting between Guterres and Lavrov, the SecretaryGeneral said he was ready to mobilize UN resources to evacuate civilians from Mariupol.
The proposal concerns coordinated UN work with the International Committee of the Red Cross and Ukrainian and Russian forces to “enable the safe evacuation of civilians wishing to leave the Azov Valley Steel Plant and the city,” “in whichever direction they choose.” “.
In a UN statement released on Tuesday, Putin said he “agrees in principle” with UN and Red Cross involvement in the evacuation of civilians from the region.
“Further talks are being held with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Russian Defense Ministry,” he said.
DISTANCE
The meeting between Vladimir Putin and António Guterres was also marked by the use of the famous oval table, at least 6 meters long. The Russian leader and the Secretary General each sat at one end.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres (right) at a table at least 6 meters long
The aloof treatment was the same as that offered to French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during their visits to discuss escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The meetings took place in early February, before the war had started.
At that time, the table was used because Macron and Scholz refused to test themselves for Covid19. Regarding the UN SecretaryGeneral, the reason for the distance between him and Putin has not been disclosed.