The Ukrainian delegation is not going to Gomel, Belarus, for talks due to unacceptable demands made by the Russians. This was announced on the Facebook page by the press secretary of the President of Ukraine Serhiy Nikiforov. At the same time, he noted that the format of the talks in Gomel was indeed being discussed.
"We also heard statements that the Russian delegation had arrived in Gomel for talks. I must say that Ukraine's representatives will not be there. This format was indeed discussed. But at the last moment, Russian negotiators demanded that the Ukrainian army first lay down its arms. "They immediately received an offer to follow the 'Russian warship.”
At the same time, he stressed that Ukraine is ready for negotiations, but the Ukrainian authorities are not ready to listen to any preconditions. This also applies to the venue, in particular Belarus.
"We cannot travel to Belarus, from where planes and missiles travel to our cities. Similarly, in the security of our delegation, we would have to rely on the guarantees of the host country. Given previous events, such guarantees cost very little." Nikiforov emphasized.
The President's spokesman stressed that Ukraine's position remains unchanged - the Ukrainian side is ready to meet in any neutral place to save the lives of Ukrainian citizens.
"We are ready to meet in any neutral place: Baku, Istanbul, Warsaw, Vienna - you name it. We continue to invite Russia to sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible and save the lives of its military. Every day of delay will cost Russia irreparable human and economic losses." noted Nikiforov.
Earlier, according to Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the President's Office, Russia was trying to put Ukraine in the ultimate negotiating position to end its war. Ukraine has abruptly and abruptly abandoned these ultimate conditions.
Podoliak believes that Russia is manipulating the negotiation process and humiliating Belarus by using it.
It will be recalled that this morning the media of the occupying country wrote that the negotiators from Russia had arrived in Belarus for talks with Ukraine and they were ready to do so in Gomel. President Volodymyr Zelenskyi replied that we were ready for talks in any country from which missiles are not being launched into Ukraine.
It is now known that the Russian delegation was headed by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.