Russia and Ukraine to hold talks on Belarusian-Ukrainian border

 

Talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, which are due to be held in the Gomel Region, will take place on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, BelTA news agency reported.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s office confirmed that the meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations will be held without any preconditions on the border in the area of the Pripyat River.

Earlier in the day, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko called Zelensky. "The politicians agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian one without any preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, in the area of the Pripyat River," the statement said.

The particular venue of the meeting won’t be disclosed, a source told TASS.

Lukashenko undertook responsibility that "all planes, helicopters and missiles" stationed on Belarusian soil will remain on the ground during the talks, as well as the Ukrainian delegation’ arrival and return.

Earlier on Sunday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that the Russian delegation had arrived in Belarus for talks with Ukraine. The delegation consists of representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry and other agencies, including the presidential administration. Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky leads the delegation. The Ukrainian delegation also has left for Gomel to hold talks with Russia, Head of the Roundtable Democratic Forces Yury Voskresensky confirmed.

According to BelTA, after the phone conversation with Zelensky Lukashenko asked Putin that the Russian delegation should stay longer and postpone the meeting due to the delayed arrival of the Ukrainian delegation. Putin accepted the Belarusian counterpart’s proposal.

Earlier, Zelensky stated that he was willing to hold talks in any other venue, but not in Belarus, since it was allegedly engaged in some aggressive actions.