Ukraine rejects Russian offer of talks in Belarus, suggests alternative venues

By Team Newsable | First Published Feb 27, 2022, 1:54 PM IST

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Belarus was a staging ground for the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the Kremlin’s offer of talks in Belarus on Sunday, saying the country was a staging ground for the Russian invasion, reported agencies. The President, however, left the door to negotiations open in other locations. Russia had offered to hold talks with Ukrainian officials in the Belarusian city of Gomel.

In a video message, Zelensky named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues.

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“The talks can be held but only in a country from which missiles aren’t flying”, Zelensky said, referring to territory provided to Russia by Belarus in the last three days of invasion, adding that other locations are possible for the diplomacy route.

Also read: Russia-Ukraine war: Russian delegation arrives in Belarus for talks with Ukraine

A Ukrainian government adviser dismissed the Russian move to hold talks as “propaganda”. The adviser said that Ukraine is seeking only “real” negotiations with Russia over its military offensive, without ultimatums.

However, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko pressed on Ukraine to accept the offer to sit down, and hold talks if it did not want to lose statehood.

The Russian delegation on Sunday had arrived to meet Ukrainian officials in the Belarusian city of Gomel.

Also read: Ukraine Deputy PM to Apple: Stop services to Russia

The development comes as Russian troops entered Kharkiv the second-largest city of Ukraine, leading to street fights between Ukraine and Russian soldiers. Zelensky said Russian forces are deliberately attacking residential areas to hurt people.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, with troops moving from Moscow’s ally Belarus in the north, and also from the east and south.

Also read: US says no evacuation, advises citizens to depart Ukraine through available commercial options

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