The second phase of the war in Ukraine appears to be entering uncharted waters as on the one hand the Kremlin is hammering away relentlessly in the east of the neighbouring country and on the other hand it is signalling that it wants peace talks to resume, although the conditions set by Moscow are now unknown.
Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said specifically that Moscow is ready to resume peace talks with Ukraine, blaming Kiev for their interruption.
"For our part, we are ready to resume the dialogue," Medinsky, who is an adviser to the Kremlin and is in charge of negotiations with Ukraine, said in an interview with Belarusian public television.
"The freezing of the talks was entirely on Ukraine's initiative," he added, assessing that now "the ball is on their side."
"Russia has never refused negotiations," he asserted."
The negotiations began after Russian forces entered Ukraine on February 24 but failed to quickly capture the capital. The two countries' foreign ministers met in Turkey in March, then delegations held talks in Istanbul, but without success.
Ukrainian negotiator Mikhail Podolyak said last Tuesday that the talks were "suspended" as Russia redeployed its forces and is now focusing its "special operation," as it calls the war, in eastern Ukraine.
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
