Russia and Ukraine Maintain Talks in Belarus

Delegations from Russia and Ukraine started talks in southeastern Belarus on Monday with solely modest hopes for a breakthrough that would finish preventing that began when Russian forces invaded Ukraine final week.

Ukraine initially rejected attending talks in Belarus as a result of Russian forces stationed there have joined the invasion. However then Ukrainian officers agreed to ship a delegation to the assembly in Gomel, a metropolis close to the borders of Russia and Ukraine. “You possibly can really feel completely protected,” Overseas Minister Vladimir Makei of Belarus instructed the delegates at first of the assembly. “Any request or proposal you will have about right now’s assembly might be taken into consideration and motion.”

Video from Belarus’s official information company confirmed a handful of delegates from either side sitting down on reverse sides of an extended desk. The flags of Russia and Ukraine, along with that of Belarus, stood on the head of the desk whereas smaller flags on the desk denoted either side.

{A photograph} launched by Belarus confirmed Ukrainian delegates arriving in a navy helicopter for the talks. The Ukrainian delegation included the protection minister and deputy international minister, whereas Russia’s delegation was being led by Vladimir R. Medinsky, an adviser to President Vladimir V. Putin.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine mentioned earlier than the assembly that he anticipated little to come from the talks. He declined to comply with any circumstances or concessions earlier than discussions.