Ukraine and Russia resume round of negotiations to achieve a ceasefire

The delegations of Ukraine and Russia have resumed on Tuesday the fifth round of negotiations to find an agreement to end the invasion of Kremlin forces, local agency Ukrainform reported.

“At the moment there is a rather tough discussion going on between the parties,” according to the adviser and head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Mykhailo Podoliak.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated at a press conference that the objective of the current negotiations is to ensure Ukraine's neutral status, reports Russian agency Sputnik.

“The negotiations that are taking place (are aimed at) ensuring the neutral military status of Ukraine in the context of security guarantees for all participants in this process, in the context of the demilitarization of Ukraine, so that no threat to Russia comes from its territory,” Lavrov added.

On his official Twitter account, Podolyak wrote a summary of what is taking place with his Russian counterpart, “Negotiations are ongoing. Renewed consultations on the main trading platform. Matters of general regulation, ceasefire, withdrawal of troops from the territory of the country...”

It is also about “ending the country's (Ukraine) policy of Nazification, which is enshrined in a series of legislative acts,” Lavrov told journalists after a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Hussein Amir-Adollahian.

Bilateral talks, which began on March 14, held their first three rounds in Belarusian territory, near the Polish border.

The fourth meeting between the two delegations took place yesterday and was by videoconference like the one that is taking place today.

On Tuesday, the Kremlin considered any “forecast” about negotiations with Ukraine premature after a counselor in the Ukrainian presidency considered a peace agreement possible before May, “and perhaps much more quickly”

President Zelenski said Monday night that the Russians “have begun to understand that they will not get anything through war.”

ISRAELI MEDIATION

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid had a telephone conversation today with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitri Kuleba, in which they discussed Israeli efforts to mediate the conflict with Russia and humanitarian issues.

“Minister Kuleba thanked Israel for its mediation efforts and its position on the issue of sanctions,” said a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry on the conversation.

In addition, he said that Lapid updated Kuleba “about the humanitarian aid that Israel has already sent to Ukraine and about the field hospital it is sending.”

The Ukrainian minister indicated through his Twitter account that he received assurances from Lapid that “Israel will not be the route for Russia to evade the sanctions” imposed in response to his offensive.

On the other hand, while the Israeli statement notes that Kuleba “celebrated the Israeli policy of absorbing Ukrainian refugees”, the minister said in his tweet that during the dialogue with Lapid they agreed “that the rights of Ukrainians arriving in Israel will be respected”.

This statement follows a controversy over the treatment received by Ukrainians who entered the country in recent days and the limits imposed by the Israeli authorities on the number of allowed entries.

Today's dialogue follows a series of talks between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Benet and Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky, most recently last night.

The Israeli president has been in constant contact with both Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, with whom he also talked last night about “efforts to reach a ceasefire,” an Israeli official told Efe.

(with information from EFE)

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