From the Liveblog of
Saturday, April 2, 2022
Ukrainian negotiator says Russia ‘verbally’ agreed to key positions, except Crimea
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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s top negotiator in peace talks with Russia says that Moscow has “verbally” agreed to key Ukrainian proposals, raising hopes that talks to end fighting are moving forward.
Negotiator David Arakhamia tells Ukrainian television channels that any meeting between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin would “with a high probability” take place in Turkey.
“The Russian Federation has given an official answer to all positions, which is that they accept the [Ukrainian] position, except for the issue of Crimea [annexed by Russia in 2014],” Arakhamia says.
He says that while there is “no official confirmation in writing,” the Russian side said so “verbally.”
The comments came as Ukraine said it had retaken control of the whole Kyiv region.
Arakhamia says Moscow had agreed in talks that a referendum on the neutral status of Ukraine “will be the only way out of this situation.”
Asked what would happen if Ukrainians voted against a neutral status for the country, Arakhamia says “we will either return to a state of war, perhaps, or return to new negotiations.”
The Kremlin has insisted that Ukraine adopt a neutral status.
The Times of Israel Community.