President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky refused to negotiate with Russia in Belarus and offered Warsaw, Istanbul, Baku or Budapest as a platform. Earlier, the Kremlin announced the arrival of the Russian delegation to Belarus for talks with Ukraine.
“If there were no aggressive actions from your territories, we could speak in Minsk, in your city. Now we say: not Minsk. The venue may be other cities for the meeting,” Zelensky said in his address.
According to him, Ukraine wants the end of the war, Russia was invited to meet in Warsaw, Budapest, Istanbul and Baku, said the President of Ukraine. Any city “in a country from whose territory missiles do not fly” is suitable for negotiations, Zelensky stressed.
“Only in this way can negotiations be honest and can really end the war,” the head of Ukraine believes, adding that a powerful international coalition has been formed to support the country.
Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said today that the Russian delegation arrived in Belarus. “In accordance with the agreement reached, the Russian delegation, consisting of representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Defense and other departments, including the presidential administration, arrived in Belarus for negotiations with the Ukrainians,” he said.
Earlier, the Kremlin announced the breakdown of negotiations with Ukraine. Peskov then said that on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the suspension of the advance of the main forces of Russian troops in connection with the expectation of negotiations with the leadership of Ukraine.
“Since, in fact, the Ukrainian side refused to negotiate, the advance of the main Russian forces resumed this afternoon in accordance with the plan of the operation,” the press secretary of the head of state said.
On February 21, the President of Russia announced the recognition of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DNR and LNR). He signed federal laws on the ratification of treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with these republics, which include, among other things, military assistance to these territories. On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in the Donbass. Putin called its goal the protection of people who “are subjected to bullying, genocide by the Kiev regime.” At the same time, he noted that Russia has no plans to occupy Ukraine, but Moscow will strive for the demilitarization and denazification of this country.