Another round of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations are scheduled for March 2, Russian state media TASS reports, citing Ukraine’s Zerkalo Nedeli media.
Another Ukrainian media outlet, Glavkom, citing sources in the Ukrainian delegation, disclosed the terms advanced by the sides during the first meeting. It said that Russia allegedly demanded Ukraine commit to paper its off-bloc status at the parliamentary level and organize a referendum on this matter. Apart from that, the Russian side demanded Ukraine recognize the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics in the administrative borders of the corresponding regions and drop its demand that Crimea should be returned to Ukraine. Ukraine, according to Glavkom, demanded a ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory, TASS reports.
The Russian-Ukrainian talks were held on Monday. The talks lasted for five hours. The Russian delegation was led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who said earlier that the Russian delegation was ready to speak with the Ukrainian side as long as it may take to reach agreements. He also said that the delegations had preliminarily agreed to hold the next round of talks in Belarus, Russian media reports.
