Ukraine negotiations: Russia meeting ended - Zelenskyj speaks up

Created: 03/01/2022Updated: 03/01/2022 08:57

By: Markus Hofstetter, Andreas Schmid

Negotiations in the Ukraine conflict between Russia and Ukraine are over.

There is still a need for discussion.

Hungary is opposed to arms deliveries.

News ticker.

• Ukraine conflict*: The negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are intended to bring about a peace solution.

• On Monday evening, the first negotiations between the delegations from Ukraine* and Russia* ended without a breakthrough.

  A second round of talks was agreed.

  (See update at 5.50pm)

• Hungary does not want to allow EU arms deliveries to Ukraine via its territory.

  (See update at 8:13 p.m.)

• This

  news ticker about diplomatic events and international reactions in connection with the Ukraine war

  is continuously updated.

Update from March 1, 00:57

: Ukraine has not yet achieved the desired result in the peace negotiations in the Ukraine conflict.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this in a video message on Facebook, "Russia has presented its positions, we have presented counter-arguments to end the war." As soon as the delegation is back in Kyiv, they will analyze and decide, as was the case in the second round of negotiations go on.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regularly comments on the situation in his country in video messages.

© Igor Golovniov/Imago (archive photo)

Ukraine negotiations unsuccessful: ambassador - "there will be no compromises"

Update from March 1, 00:32

: The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, has confirmed his government's conditions for a diplomatic settlement of the Ukraine war.

"What is non-negotiable is our territorial integrity," he said on TV station Welt.

“That is, including Crimea, and also with Donbass.

That means there will be no compromises.”

He called for the status to be restored to before 2013, when Crimea and the separatist regions in the east of the country were still controlled by the government in Kyiv.

Then came the annexation of Crimea.

"It's a non-negotiable position - and we should look at everything else," he said.

Melnyk rejected a "demilitarization" demanded by Russia: "That's nonsense, we can't afford that because: We are a sovereign state."

In any case, the first talks between Russia and Ukraine in Belarus failed, said Melnyk: "It's a shame.

We hoped - and that was also the President's decision - to send this delegation to the Belarusian border just to hear what the Russians were bringing with them in their suitcases.” He stressed: “These weren't peace talks.

Because the Russian attack is continuing.” In the evening there were renewed Russian attacks, for example in Kyiv or Kharkiv.

Andriy Melnyk, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany.

© Christian Spicker/Imago Images

Update from March 1, 00:07

: How does the West react to the Ukraine conflict?

Closed according to US information.

According to the US government, the Russian attack on Ukraine has led to a closing of ranks within NATO and other Western allies.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Monday called Russian President Vladimir Putin "one of the greatest unifiers of NATO in modern history."

Psaki told a news conference, "What you see here is a united Europe, a united West, a united Nato standing up against President Putin-led aggression and invasion." Of course, one would prefer if Moscow took de-escalating steps.

However, the demonstrative unity of this coalition sends a clear message to Putin that his actions and his rhetoric are unacceptable.

Psaki said US President Joe Biden* “has led efforts around the world to build this coalition, which includes many countries in Europe but also from other parts of the world, to stand up to President Putin and oppose the to resist aggression and the invasion of Ukraine.

All of this coordinated action did not come about by accident.” Biden will not only lead this coalition, he will also urge a coordinated effort to hold Russia accountable.

Emergency session of the UN General Assembly on the Ukraine conflict: "Enough is enough"

Update from February 28, 6:51 p.m.:

"Enough is enough," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday after a minute's silence at the start of an emergency session of the UN General Assembly on the Ukraine conflict.

“The fighting in Ukraine must end now.

This escalation of violence resulting in civilian deaths including children is totally unacceptable," Guterres said.

Admittedly, “the guns would now speak”;

but it is never too late for negotiations to address "all issues peacefully," said the UN Secretary-General.

At only the eleventh emergency session of the UN General Assembly in history, representatives of the 193 UN member states also called on Russia to end the violence.

Polish UN ambassador Krzysztof Szczerski condemned the "Russian aggression" and spoke of "atrocities of this war".

Ukraine negotiations: Russian statements at emergency session of the UN General Assembly speak volumes

Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN Sergei Kyslyzja warned that his country could be destroyed by the Russian army.

"If Ukraine doesn't survive, the United Nations won't survive." But there is still time to "save Ukraine, save the United Nations, save democracy and defend the values ​​we believe in."

The Russian Ambassador Wassili Nebensia, on the other hand, declared that Russia was acting in "legitimate self-defense".

Among other things, he spoke of the "suffering" of the population in eastern Ukraine and of Ukrainian "provocations".

At the emergency session of the UN General Assembly, more than a hundred speeches are scheduled over two days.

"Ukraine should serve as a communication bridge between East and West and not as a front line of rivalry between great powers," said Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun. An atmosphere for direct talks must be created, tensions should not be exacerbated.

“The Cold War ended long ago.

The Cold War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be abandoned.”

Update from February 28, 5:50 p.m.:

The negotiations between Russia and Ukraine ended without a breakthrough.

According to the delegation from Kyiv, the participants are returning to their home countries for consultations.

Both sides have identified a number of issues on which there is a need for discussion and have agreed on a second round of talks, Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podoliak said on Monday.

Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said it had been agreed to continue negotiations.

Negotiations in the Ukraine conflict: Putin names conditions for the end of the Russian invasion

Update from February 28, 5:13 p.m .:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded demilitarization and recognition of Russia’s annexed Crimea as Russian territory as conditions for an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Putin also called again for a "denazification" of the Ukrainian government and for Ukraine's "neutrality," the Kremlin said on Monday after Putin spoke on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The demands were made against the background of the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian negotiations.

Update from February 28, 5:07 p.m .:

In a telephone call, French President Emmanuel Macron* asked his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin* during the negotiations to stop any attacks on private individuals and places of residence and to preserve the civil infrastructure.

This was announced by the Élysée Palace.

In addition, roads should be secured, especially in the south of Kiev.

It was said from Paris that Putin had shown himself willing to work on the points.

Ukraine conflict: Oligarch Lebedev calls on Putin to use the negotiations to end the conflict

Update from February 28, 4:31 p.m .:

The negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the Ukraine conflict have received support from an unexpected source.

Several Russian oligarchs have distanced themselves from Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.

Among them is the media mogul Evgeny Lebedev, who also has British citizenship and sits in the British House of Lords.

He wrote to Putin in an open letter published in the

newspaper on Monday : "As a citizen of Russia, I ask you to end the state of affairs in which Russians are killing their Ukrainian brothers and sisters."

Europe is "on the brink of another world war" and the world is facing a "possible nuclear catastrophe," he warns.

Putin must use the current negotiations with Kiev officials to "end this terrible war in Ukraine".

The billionaires Oleg Deripaska and Oleg Tinkov had previously expressed clear criticism of the Russian war in Ukraine.

Ukraine conflict: Confusion over alleged end of negotiations

Update from February 28, 3:50 p.m .:

The peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine continued on Monday afternoon after a break.

According to the

, several Russian and Belarusian media reported unanimously.

The delegations have not yet left the place of negotiation in the Ukrainian-Belarusian border area, the Belarusian state agency

reported .

There was initially confusion about a message from the Ukrainian parliament on the Telegram news channel.

It said the talks had already ended.

The delegations of the two countries met at noon with a significant delay.

Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makej opened the negotiations.

However, Russia continued its attacks in Ukraine.

Here you can find a ticker about the military situation in the Ukraine war.

Abramovich announced on Saturday that he wanted to hand over the administration of the English Champions League winners Chelsea to the administrators of the football club's charitable foundation.

The oligarch was criticized for his closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine conflict: Negotiations are ongoing in Belarus, but fighting continues in Ukraine

Update from February 28, 2:01 p.m .:

On the 5th day of the war, Russia and Ukraine are officially talking about an end to hostilities for the first time.

Russian President Vladimir Putin* ordered the armed forces on Monday to continue attacks against the neighbor despite the talks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had little hope of an end to the invasion.

The nuclear power Russia put its deterrent weapons on increased alert.

Ukraine conflict: Negotiations between the delegations from Ukraine and Russia start

Update from February 28, 12:00 p.m .:

Negotiations on an end to the war between the delegations from Ukraine and Russia have apparently begun.

Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makej opened talks on Monday, the Belarusian state media reported and published videos.

The fighting continued nonetheless.

The Russian delegation will be led by the Kremlin's special envoy, Vladimir Medinsky.

The delegation also includes Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, the Russian envoy at the negotiations of the so-called Contact Group, Boris Gryzlov, and the well-known foreign politician Leonid Slutsky.

Presidential faction leader David Arakhamiya is leading the Ukrainian side.

The Ukrainian delegation also includes Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podoliak, Deputy Head of the Ukraine delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (Minskkram) Andriy Kostin, MP Rustem Umerov and Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyi.

The Kremlin previously regretted that the talks only started on Monday.

"The only thing we very much regret is that these negotiations did not start 24 hours ago, although the opportunity was there," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday, according to the state agency

in Moscow.

Ukraine conflict: Ukrainian Presidential Office names key issues for negotiations with Russia

Update from February 28, 10:25 a.m .:

According to information from Kiev, the Ukrainian delegation has arrived at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border for negotiations with Russia.

The group will be led by David Arachamija, the leader of the parliamentary group of the presidential party Sluha Narodu (servant of the people), said the presidential office in Kyiv on Monday.

The delegation also includes Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podoliak and Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyi.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyj* is not there.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov (2nd from left) arrives for negotiations with the Russian delegation © SERGEI KHOLODILIN/BELTA/AFP

It was also announced: "The key issue of the negotiations is the immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops from the territory of Ukraine." This map shows the areas already conquered in the Ukraine war.

Ukraine conflict: negotiations start - Russia wants to negotiate until an agreement is reached

First report:

Kiev/Minsk/Moscow – Russia and Ukraine have agreed on peace negotiations.

Talks were scheduled to start on Monday morning (February 28) on the Pripyat river border near the Aleksandrovka (Belarus) and Vicha (Ukraine) border crossing.

According to Russian information, the negotiations should now start at 10 a.m. (CET, local time 12 p.m.).

The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, told the

state agency on Monday .

"We are ready for negotiations as soon as they arrive." The Russian delegation is ready to negotiate with the Ukrainian side until an agreement is reached.

Negotiations in the Ukraine conflict: the Ukrainian side wants to evaluate proposals

According to the Belarusian state agency

, the Ukrainian side said that the talks should start in the early morning.

Ukrainian politician David Arakhamiya wrote on Facebook that the proposals would be listened to.

Then we will discuss whether it is worth it or not.

Alexander Lukashenko*, ruler of Belarus, took responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed in Belarus remained grounded during the Ukrainian delegation's arrival.

Originally, both sides wanted to meet on Sunday.

For a long time it was unclear when the talks would begin.

According to reports, the start was significantly delayed because the journey from Ukraine had been difficult due to the fighting.

Negotiations in the Ukraine conflict: Don't be lulled to sleep

Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) sees the negotiations as a good sign.

But it is important "not to be lulled by a person who has lied to all of us," she said, referring to Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to invade the neighboring country on Thursday morning.

The West responded with unprecedented sanctions against Moscow.