Russia has revealed the outline of a possible peace deal that would put an end to the hostilities in Ukraine, with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying a “business-like spirit” has emerged in negotiations with “concrete formulations” that he said are close to being agreed on.
Lavrov made the remarks in a Wednesday interview on Russian television channel RBC, in which he expressed “some hope” that a compromise could be reached between the warring sides.
“A neutral status is being seriously discussed in connection with security guarantees,” Lavrov said. “There are concrete formulations that in my view are close to being agreed.”
Lavrov said Russian negotiators have told him the talks “are not easy for obvious reasons, but nevertheless there is some hope for finding a compromise.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that a neutral Ukraine with its own army along the lines of Austria or Sweden was a possible framework being considered in negotiations over ending the war.
“This is a variant that is currently being discussed and which could really be seen as a compromise,” Peskov was quoted as saying by Russia’s RIA news agency.
Peskov was commenting on remarks from Vladimir Medinsky, Russia’s chief negotiator, who earlier told Russian state TV that, “Ukraine is offering an Austrian or Swedish version of a neutral demilitarized state, but at the same time a state with its own army and navy.”
Ukraine has not confirmed it is willing to discuss neutrality, though President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that his country’s membership in NATO is essentially off the table. Ukraine’s potential membership in the transatlantic defense alliance has been a key concern for Russia and was used to justify the invasion.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak said on Wednesday that some model of neutrality is up for discussion, but that this framework must be “Ukrainian” and include security guarantees.
By Tom Ozimek
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