Ukraine, Russia to hold talks 'without any pre-conditions'
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Ukrainian media said Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyi will head the Ukrainian delegation that will hold talks with Russia on ending the hostilities.
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checkpoint Vilcha on the border with Belarus, in Ukraine September 8, 2020 (Reuters)
Kiev's delegation will meet for talks with Russia at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border near the Pripyat River, Volodymyr Zelensky's office said on Telegram.
"Alexander Lukashenko called Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The politicians agreed that the Ukrainian delegation will meet with Russia without any preconditions at Ukrainian-Belarusian border near the Pripyat river. Alexander Lukashenko has pledged, under his responsibility, that all Belarusian planes, helicopters, and rockets that are in Belarus will stay there during the Ukrainian delegation's journey there, talks, and return trip," Zelensky's office said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyi will head the Ukrainian delegation that will hold talks with Russia on ending the hostilities, Ukrainian media reported on Sunday.
According to the ZN.UA, the Ukrainian-Russian negotiations have been confirmed by both parties and will take place in Gomel on Sunday, with Kiev represented by Tochytskyi.
The Russian side said that delegations from Russia and Ukraine are on their way to the location where they will have talks, according to Sputnik.
"The talks have not begun. The sides are only just arriving to the location," the Russian side said.
Zelensky formerly refused to talk in Belarus
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced earlier that Belarus cannot be the platform for talks with Russia and suggested Budapest instead, the Russian President criticized the Ukrainian authority for wasting an opportunity to conduct a dialogue.
According to a statement by the Kremlin, during a call with Naftali Bennett, President Vladimir Putin said the Russian delegation is in the Belarus city of Gomel and is ready for negotiations with representatives of Kiev, who, showing inconsistency, have not yet taken advantage of this opportunity.
Following reports that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy asked "Israel" to host talks, Bennett's office said he and Putin discussed the situation and proposed that the occupation act as a mediator.
Bennett and Zelensky reportedly spoke on Friday.
Russia launched a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine on Thursday, in response to requests from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for assistance in combating Ukrainian troops' aggression. The special operation is only targeting Ukrainian military facilities, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, and the civilian population is not at risk. Moscow has stated that it has no intention of occupying Ukraine.
