LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) – The fourth round of talks between Ukraine and Russia on Monday will focus on achieving a ceasefire, troop withdrawals and security guarantees for Ukraine, one of the Ukrainian negotiators Mykhailo Podolyak said.
Ukraine’s position remained unchanged in insisting on a ceasefire before talks on future relations could happen, he said in a social media post and accompanying video.
“Negotiations. 4th round. On peace, ceasefire, immediate withdrawal of troops & security guarantees. Hard discussion,” he wrote, adding that he believed Russia “still has a delusion that 19 days of violence against (Ukrainian) peaceful cities is the right strategy.”
Russia denies targeting civilians. The Kremlin describes its actions as a “special operation” to demilitarise and “deNazify” Ukraine. Ukraine and Western allies call this a baseless pretext for a war of choice.
(Reporting by Natalia Zinets and Matthias Williams, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
