Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that his country is close to reaching an agreement with Ukraine on the security guarantees requested by Moscow.
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Russian government highlights progress of special military operation in Ukraine
According to the Russian agency Interfax, Lavrov indicated that there are a number of formulations of the agreements with Ukraine on the status of neutrality and security guarantees that are about to be achieved.
The Russian foreign minister specified that Ukraine’s neutrality status is being discussed in conjunction with security guarantees.
This is “exactly what President Putin said in February at one of his press conferences: Any possible option, any generally acceptable security guarantee for Ukraine and for all countries, including Russia, requires NATO not to expand.” Lavrov reiterated.
Sergei Lavrov commented that in his opinion, if Ukraine’s non-inclusion in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is seriously discussed, an agreement would be about to be reached.
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky said Tuesday night that the positions in the negotiations in Moscow and kyiv sound more realistic, but said they must continue negotiating because “every war ends in an agreement.”
Russia and Ukraine are holding negotiations, which this Wednesday enter their sixth round, to reach an agreement that will lead to the cessation of Moscow’s special military operation in eastern Ukraine ordered by President Vladimir Putin on February 24.
Negotiations between Moscow and kyiv deal with issues related to the achievement of a ceasefire or the future status of Ukraine.