A residential building in Kiiu, the Ukrainian capital, has been attacked and burned down. Archyde.com Yonhap News
Russia and Ukraine agreed to continue the fourth round of peace negotiations for the third day on the 16th (local time).
“The fourth round of negotiations will continue tomorrow,” said Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine, who leads the Ukrainian negotiating delegation. “It is a very difficult and persistent negotiation process, and there are fundamental contradictions, but there is certainly room for compromise,” said Podolyak.
Russia and Ukraine started the fourth round of peace negotiations in the form of a videoconference the day before, but following regarding two hours, they went on a temporary hiatus and resumed talks on the same day. Podolyak’s remarks can be interpreted as narrowing the differences between the two sides through the fourth round of negotiations. “The negotiations with Russia have become more constructive,” said Ihor Zovkva, an adviser to the Ukrainian president’s office. “Our delegation felt a positive mood following the meeting,” he added.
The Russian and Ukrainian delegations met at the negotiating table three times on the 28th of last month, the 3rd and 7th of last month, but with the exception of an agreement to evacuate civilians through humanitarian channels, no significant results were obtained. The two sides, especially on territorial issues, expressed great differences in their positions. Ukraine has demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities from Russia and the withdrawal of its troops from Crimea and Donbasi. On the other hand, Russia is demanding the demilitarization of Ukraine, a stipulation that it does not join the alliance, and the recognition of the independence of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, established by pro-Russian rebels in the Donbas region.
Ukraine has been opposed to Russia’s request as a de facto forcing its surrender, but some observe that the difference between the two sides may have narrowed as Ukraine acknowledged that it was virtually impossible to join NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “I know it is impossible to join NATO” at a meeting of the leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) held in London on the same day. “For years, I’ve heard that NATO’s doors are open, but we’ve already been told that we can’t join NATO,” he added.
One of Russia’s key requirements is to stop Ukraine’s attempts to join Nado. As President Zelensky admits that NATO membership is impossible, Ukraine is likely to present non-NATO membership as a negotiating card in negotiations with Russia. However, it is unclear what kind of attitude Russia will take. President Vladimir Putin, in a phone call with European Union President Charles Michel, criticized Ukraine for “not showing sincere will to seek a mutually acceptable solution”, the Kremlin reported. .
