Putin sees ‘positive progress’ in talks with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he had seen “positive progress” in talks with Ukraine during a meeting with his Belarusian ally Alexander Lukashenko.

“Let me tell you how the negotiations are going on almost every day now (…). There have been some positive developments,” he said without elaborating.

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Three rounds of talks have been held in Belarus since tens of thousands of Russian troops entered Ukraine. They focused primarily on creating humanitarian corridors for citizens.

On Thursday, the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine met for the first time since the start of the Russian offensive. But no progress has been announced for a ceasefire.

The Russian president has repeatedly insisted in recent days that the fighting will end when Ukraine and the West surrender to his demands, such as the neutralization and “militarization” of his western neighbors, as well as the recognition of Russia’s sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula. Added in 2014.