Moscow announces a “rapprochement” of positions in its talks with kyiv

The head of the Russian delegation to the talks with kyiv announced on Friday that he had noted a “rapprochement” of positions on the question of a neutral status for Ukraine and progress on that of the demilitarization of the country.
“The subject of Ukraine’s neutrality status and its non-membership of NATO is one of the key points of the negotiations, it is the point on which the parties have brought their positions as close as possible”, said said Vladimir Medinsky, quoted by Russian agencies.
However, he noted “nuances” regarding the “security guarantees” demanded by Ukraine.
“As for demilitarization, I would say 50/50,” he continued, saying he might not reveal details of the negotiations but that delegations are “halfway” to an agreement on the issue.
Russia, which has been leading an offensive once morest its neighbor since February 24, is conducting parallel negotiations with kyiv to demand from it a neutral status like that of Sweden or Austria, a refusal to join NATO. and a demilitarization and “denazification” of the country.
Ukraine said on Wednesday that “deep contradictions” persisted in the Russian-Ukrainian talks, but that a “compromise” was still possible.
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© Agence France-Presse