President Vladimir Putin has indicated that Russia will not compromise on its position on Ukraine war objectives but has offered a short-term ceasefire in a key frontline city during a Kremlin meeting with US envoys.
Putin on Thursday told US envoys that Russia was proposing a joint Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian mission to the city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine, the Interfax news agency reported.
Putin was cited as saying that the mission could be modelled on a similar initiative that allowed residents to leave the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southeastern Ukraine at the end of last month and for aid to be brought in for those who chose to remain.
Russia needed 5 days to clear the area near Kostiantynivka of mines, Putin said.
‘New Yalta’
Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were in Moscow after two days of talks in Abu Dhabi searching for a way to end Europe's worst conflict since World War II.
The Americans, meanwhile, urged Putin to allow European representatives to sit at the table for the next round of talks.
Witkoff also confirmed a prisoner swap agreed upon during the latest Abu Dhabi talks, saying, "It indicates progress toward peace.”
Kiev and European leaders have urged against a new "Yalta", a reference to the post-WWII deal to carve the continent into spheres of influence, and said talks must be focused on ending the Ukraine war first.
Kushner and Witkoff will travel to Dublin, where a European summit is taking place, to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later on Thursday.
‘Vicious circle’
The Russian president rejected talk of a possible territorial settlement involving "grey," or demilitarised, zones between Ukrainian and Russian positions.
"For us, there is only one line of demarcation: the state border. Because then it will be clear: here are we, and here are you," he said.
Putin also repeated his long-standing objection to any foreign troops being deployed to Ukraine as a post-war peacekeeping force.
Moscow would see any foreign troops deployed in the country as a "legitimate target", Putin said, adding their deployment would be a "vicious circle" and mean "the continuation of war.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said it was too early to speak of restoring trust following US-mediated peace talks with Ukraine, despite "undeniable" progress in the negotiations.
“It would be incorrect to speak of restoring trust between the parties at this moment. That is not how we frame the issue,” Ryabkov told Russian media outlet RT.
He said the discussions held Tuesday and Wednesday in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, could help build "something functional," provided there was "sufficient political will."
