Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Highlights
- Putin, Ukrainian President meeting possible after fresh round of talks between two nations in Turkey
- Ukrainian negotiators proposed adopting neutral status in exchange for security guarantees
- Reports said Ukraine required security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5
Russia Ukraine News: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky meeting could be possible after fresh round of talks between the two countries held in Turkey, AFP quoted Ukrainian negotiator, as saying.
In the latest round of talks held in Turkey's Istanbul on Tuesday to find way to end the war, Ukrainian negotiators proposed adopting neutral status in exchange for security guarantees from Russia, meaning it would not join military alliances or host military bases.
Meanwhile, the Russian military said it will "fundamentally cut back" operations near the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv "to increase trust" in talks between the two countries.
Reports said Ukraine required security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5. If Ukraine is a target of aggression, all guarantors have three days to respond and provide military assistance to Ukraine.
Ukraine agrees with neutral status. That means no nuclear weapons and no military alliances. If Ukraine wants to host a military exercise or have a foreign military base on its territory, it needs to have an approval by all guarantors, reports said.
The neutrality requires a change of Ukrainian constitution. A public referendum is needed for that. Guarantors should be the members of UN, primary Britain, China, Russia, USA, France, Poland and Turkey.
The UK, China, the US, Turkey, France, Canada, Italy, Poland and Israel can become security guarantors for Ukraine as a result of the negotiations. They will act as part of an international treaty. They will be able to close the skies at Ukraine's request.
The current system of security guarantors is not working, we see this in Mariupol and Kharkiv. We agreed that all security guarantor countries should not only not hinder our accession to the EU, but help in this process, Ukraine said.
Ukraine is free to join EU, Russia has no issue with that, reports further said.
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