Russia: Nothing Has Been Decided Yet About the Start of Peace Talks in Ukraine

According to the Russians, nothing has been agreed upon with the United States regarding starting peace talks in Ukraine.

A top advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow and Washington have not yet arranged how the talks should start because the US has not yet appointed a chief negotiator to talk to Russia.

Russia is sending Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Saudi Arabia for a first round of talks with the Americans, including Foreign Minister Marco Rubio. The talks, scheduled for Tuesday, follow the telephone conversation last week between US President Donald Trump and Putin. The two agreed to start negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

According to the Putin adviser, the meeting’s purpose is to discuss “the restoration of normal relations,” the start of possible negotiations on Ukraine, and possibilities for contacts at “the highest level”, that is, between Putin and Trump.