Ukraine and Russia prepare for the second round of negotiations

The Ukrainian and Russian sides confirmed their desire to hold a second round of talks. On March 2, the Russian delegation left for the site of the meeting.

“This afternoon, closer to the evening, our delegation will be on site. Our delegation will be ready to continue the conversation this evening,” said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

In general, he said there was “a certain element of contradictory information” in the media on the subject of the negotiations. A new round of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations will be held in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Belarus.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that there was no exact date for the second round of talks between Ukraine and Russia.

“Now we are ready to negotiate, but we are by no means ready to accept any Russian ultimatums. When new negotiations will take place is not yet known,” Kuleba said during a recent briefing.

The first round of talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations took place on February 28 near the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. According to the press service of the Ukrainian president, the sides discussed in detail a number of key topics with regard to which they have prospects for finding mutually acceptable solutions.

According to the Russian side, Kiev was asked to legislate the country’s non-aligned status, recognize the LNR-DNR, and conduct “denazification.

In seven days of war, more than two thousand peaceful Ukrainians, not including defenders of the fatherland, were killed, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. The department’s Facebook page stresses that “for more than 160 hours Ukraine and the entire Ukrainian people have been holding the defense against Russia’s insidious and cynical attack.”

The leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) considers it necessary to open a humanitarian corridor in Kiev. This was stated by the director general of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus. This measure is required to ensure safe and constant access for humanitarian workers and supplies for people in need, Gebreyesus said.

The U.N. and humanitarian partners have launched a coordinated $1.7 billion effort to provide urgent humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine and refugees in neighboring countries.

The escalation of the conflict has caused an immediate and dramatic increase in humanitarian needs as the delivery of basic goods and services has stalled and civilians are fleeing the fighting. The UN estimates that 12 million people inside Ukraine will need assistance and protection, while more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees may need protection and assistance in neighboring countries in the coming months.