The third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine has ended

After the third round of negotiations, Russia and Ukraine confirmed their intention to establish humanitarian corridors in the disputed areas. Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said there are small positive steps in improving the logistics of humanitarian corridors. Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said there should be another attempt on Tuesday to get people to safety through the corridors.

In general, however, he was disappointed with Monday’s meeting. “Expectations have not been fulfilled,” Medinsky said on Russian state television. The Russian side brought a number of documents prepared for negotiations. However, the Ukrainian side did not want to sign anything, but rather took the papers with them for examination. According to Medinsky, a new fourth round of negotiations is expected soon, when agreements can be drawn up in writing.

Ukrainian Podolyak urged that “for the sake of the political bloc, which includes a ceasefire and a cessation of hostilities in general, intensive consultations will continue.” However, there are no results for a noticeable improvement in the situation. However, the deliberations will continue and we will get a result.”

The third round of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow after the Russian attack on Ukraine lasted about three hours in Belarus. The Belarusian state agency BELTA published a photo of the delegations at a table in the Telegram news channel.

The two sides had already agreed on escape corridors at their second meeting last Thursday. But over the weekend, two attempts to evacuate residents of the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine, which was under Russian siege, failed. Both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement. Nor was progress on Monday in the planned rescue of civilians from the besieged cities.

As a condition for a cessation of hostilities, Russia demands that Ukraine declare itself neutral in its constitution. In addition, Kyiv must recognize Crimea on the Black Sea as Russian and that the breakaway regions are independent.