Russia’s Vladimir Putin is reportedly open to sending a delegation to Minsk for talks with Ukraine.
Putin is willing to take up Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s proposal to discuss neutrality and to send officials from the Kremlin and Russia’s foreign and defense ministries to the Belarusian capital, Minsk, for discussions with representatives from the government of Ukraine, said Putin aide Dmitry Peskov, Interfax reported.
Earlier, China’s leader Xi Jinping told Putin that Moscow’s should negotiate with the government in Kyiv. Moscow-led forces continued attacks on military and civilian targets on the second day of their invasion after the US and its allies imposed new sanctions on Moscow and US President Joe Biden warned of “a dangerous moment for all of Europe.”
European Union leaders backed a broad sanctions package late Thursday that they said would limit Russia’s access to Europe’s financial sector and restrict key technologies. Leaders from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will hold virtual talks on the alliance’s next steps starting at 3 p.m. in Brussels.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s military had so far prevented Russia from achieving its objectives. “Russia will have to talk to us sooner or later, talk about how to end the fighting and stop this invasion,” Zelensky said in a morning address. “The sooner this conversation begins, the smaller the losses to Russia itself.” –Bloomberg
Also read: Ukraine can’t be protected without getting hands dirty. Reassurances don’t work for Russia