Istanbul. Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday opened a new round of peace talks here as part of another effort to reach a ceasefire in the ongoing Moscow-Kyiv war.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said shortly before the start of the meeting at the presidential office of Dolmabah in Istanbul’s Besiktas district that the time had come for talks for a concrete outcome, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Turkish leader called for an immediate ceasefire and said a prolonged conflict was not in anyone’s interest.
Erdogan said Turkey was ready to host a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian leaders. He said, “The world is waiting for the good news from you. We are ready for any contribution that can make your job easier.”
Since February 28, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of in-person talks in Belarus and their fourth session has been in a video conference format.
Among other things, Russia is demanding that Ukraine give up any intention to join NATO. It is an issue on which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is ready to settle.
Other issues expected to be discussed include the fate of separatist-held areas in Ukraine’s east, as well as the situation in Crimea, which was formally annexed by Russia in 2014.
—AnyTV News
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