Russia: "Peace talks not at a level to report to top-level meeting... No change in Donbas stance"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] On the 3rd (local time), Russia stated that the ongoing peace negotiations with Ukraine have not progressed enough to be reported at the highest-level meetings.

According to major foreign media, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation and advisor to the Russian president, said via Telegram on the same day, "The agreement is not prepared enough to be submitted to the highest-level meeting," and emphasized, "I repeat, Russia's position on the Crimean Peninsula and the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine remains unchanged."

Russia claims that the Crimean Peninsula, annexed in 2014, is already Russian territory. It is also demanding the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, established by pro-Russian separatist forces in the eastern Donbas region.

The delegations from both sides concluded their fifth face-to-face talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on the 29th of last month and resumed online talks from the 1st.

At the Istanbul negotiations, Ukraine stated that it could accept the neutralization demanded by Russia if its own security is guaranteed.

Furthermore, Ukraine proposed not to attempt a military recapture of Crimea and to negotiate with Russia on the status of Crimea for the next 15 years.

Russia positively evaluated Ukraine's demands and stated that it would review them and provide an official response later.