Russia, Ukraine say they’re ready to resume talks as Moscow presses invasion

Location of negotiations still not set; Ukrainian FM vows not to accept ultimatums: ‘Russia’s demands remain the same’

By AP 2 March 2022, 1:57 pm

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Members of delegations from Ukraine and Russia, including Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky (second left), Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak (second right), Volodymyr Zelensky's 'Servant of the People' lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia (third right), hold talks in Belarus' Gomel region, on February 28, 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Sergei Kholodilin/Belta/AFP)

MOSCOW — A Kremlin spokesman said a Russian delegation will be ready on Wednesday evening to resume talks with Ukrainian officials about the war in Ukraine.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that “in the second half of the day, closer to evening, our delegation will be in place to await Ukrainian negotiators.”

Asked about the location of the talks Peskov said only: “I won’t announce the place ahead of time.”

Peskov said Putin’s culture adviser Vladimir Medinsky remains the main negotiator for Russia.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukrainian officials were ready for new talks but that the venue was undecided and Kyiv won’t accept any Russian ultimatums.

Kuleba said: “Russia’s demands remain the same as (Russian President Vladimir) Putin announced in his address before the war started.”

The first round of talks on resolving the Russia-Ukraine war were held near the Belarus-Ukraine border on Sunday. They produced no breakthrough, though the two sides agreed to meet again.

In this photo taken from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the nation in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 27, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Kremlin of trying to force him into concessions by continuing to press its invasion.

In a video address later Sunday, he expressed skepticism over the talks.

“I will be honest, as always: I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try,” Zelensky said in a video address later. “No citizen of Ukraine should have any doubt that I, as president, did not try to stop the war, when there was even a small chance.”

The Kremlin’s message came as the Russian army claimed on Wednesday it had taken control of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson as Moscow’s invasion of the pro-Western country entered its seventh day.

Russian forces continued to target cities throughout Ukraine, with heavy fighting reported in Kharkiv as Russian paratroopers landed in Ukraine’s second-biggest city.