Zelensky says Russia’s negotiating position is getting ‘more realistic’

Russia’s negotiating position with Ukraine is becoming “more realistic”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday.

Speaking in a televised message, Zelensky stressed the need for his country to “keep fighting” but struck a more positive note in the negotiations. “Meetings are ongoing as I’ve been told the positions are sounding more realistic,” he said.

Zelensky stressed the importance of persevering in negotiations, as “any war must end in agreement”, but added that “we need more time to make decisions that serve Ukraine’s interests”.

Negotiations between the two countries are due to resume on Wednesday, after ending on Tuesday night, according to the Ukrainian delegation.

However, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian negotiating delegation, said that the country’s objectives in negotiations with Ukraine have not changed since the start of negotiations between the two sides.

Medinsky, a presidential adviser, said Moscow wants a “peaceful, free, independent and neutral” Ukraine, as quoted by state media RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

“Russia’s objective in these negotiations is exactly the same as Russia’s objective that was established at the beginning of the special military operation,” he said.

“We need a peaceful, free, independent, neutral Ukraine – not a member of military blocs, not a member of NATO. A country that is our friend, a neighbor, with whom we are developing relations together, building our future, and which is not a base for military and economic attacks against our country.”

Medinsky added that Russia-Ukraine negotiations are ongoing but are “difficult” and “slow”: “Of course we would like everything to happen much faster, this is such a sincere wish on the Russian side. We want to reach peace as soon as possible,” he said.