War in Ukraine: What can we expect from today’s negotiations – CNN analyzes

With the war in full swing in Ukraine today will be the first attempt to sit at the negotiating table in Belarus the delegations of Russia and Ukraine. But what can one expect from these negotiations? CNN’s Nathan Hodge analyzes.

“Everything is ready for a meeting between Russia and Ukraine on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border near the Pripyat River. Is this a diplomatic coup or a political showdown as Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine?

Let us be clear what it is not: The meeting is not a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is a meeting of delegations from both sides. According to Zelensky’s office, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko called on Sunday to offer security guarantees, saying: “I take responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and rockets stationed in the Belarussian region territory during the visit of the Ukrainian delegation, at their meeting and return “.

But can Ukraine accept any guarantee from Lukashenko? He is the same leader whose authorities dropped a Ryanair flight over Belarus airspace last year, signaling a “security alert” and arresting a new Belarusian dissident, sparking international outcry.

Monday’s scheduled meeting follows a series of statements by the Kremlin, which earlier claimed that the Ukrainian side had rejected Russia’s offer of a meeting in Belarus with a counter-proposal for a meeting in Warsaw and then cut off all communication. Zelensky’s office has denied allegations that it refuses to negotiate.

What can come out of the meeting: Zelensky himself on Sunday lowered the bar of expectations from the meeting and we can assume that meeting at the border will yield little. It does, however, offer Putin some opportunity to get out of the war Ukraineif his troops continue to face retreats on the battlefield with Ukrainian forces.