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Russia today announced a decision to “cardinally” reduce military activity around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the besieged northern city of Chernihiv, following negotiations in Istanbul with the Ukrainian delegation.
“In order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for continuing negotiations and achieving the goal of reaching consensus and signing an agreement, the Russian Defense Ministry decided to cardinally reduce, several times, military activity around Kyiv and Chernihiv” on the part of Russia, Deputy Defense Minister Alexandr Fomin said.
He noted that Russia is taking this step after noting that negotiations on “neutrality and non-nuclear status,” as well as granting Ukraine “security guarantees” have entered “a practical plane”.
Fomin expressed confidence that “corresponding decisions will be made in Kyiv and conditions will be created” for the continuation of negotiations.
The official manifested that the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces will inform Russian President Vladimir Putin upon his return to Moscow.
For his part, the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, for the first time alluded to the possibility of a “treaty” between Moscow and Kyiv after negotiations which he described as “constructive”, and stressed Moscow’s willingness to take “two steps towards de-escalation of the conflict,” one military and the other political.
“After today’s substantive conversation we have agreed and proposed an arrangement, according to which the meeting of the heads of state is possible simultaneously with the initiation of the treaty,” he said.
Medinsky qualified that the signing of such a treaty “will not be a simple matter,” as the meeting where it will be consummated “possibly” will have to include not only Russia and Ukraine, but also the “guarantor countries of peace and security in Ukraine.”
“Thus, by working quickly on the treaty and reaching the necessary compromise, the possibility of achieving peace will be much closer,” Medinsky explained.
