French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called for an "immediate" and "unconditional" ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine during today's peace talks in Istanbul. This was reported by AA, writes UNN.
Details
(The best - ed.) what we can hope for during these technical discussions is really a ceasefire, an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, which would allow for proper peace negotiations
Regarding reports of a possible absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the negotiations, the Minister stressed that Ukraine "has an empty chair" that is "waiting" for the Russian leader.
Russia wants to avoid large-scale sanctions on the oil and financial sectors that the US and Europeans are preparing in case Russia continues to refuse to cease fire
The media also reports that Barro warned that future negotiations should avoid "three traps" that led to the failure of previous discussions: the continuation of negotiations against the background of active hostilities, forcing Ukraine to demilitarize without security guarantees, and the lifting of sanctions at the very beginning of negotiations.
Let us remind you
On May 11, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he expects a step from Russia in the form of a ceasefire and is ready to personally meet with Putin in Turkey on May 15. He also emphasized that he does not see the point in negotiating with anyone other than Russia - only directly with its president.
And on the night of May 15, the Kremlin published the composition of the delegation for the negotiations. There was no Putin, or even the expected Foreign Minister Lavrov. Instead, Russia will be represented by much lower-level officials, headed by Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky.