Russia-Ukraine peace talks begin in Belarus

Minsk, Feb 28: A Ukrainian delegation has reached Belarus to hold talks with Russia, sources said on Sunday. The talks will be the first negotiations since Russia started its invasion on February 24.

 

 

 

A Russian delegation including officials from the foreign and defence ministries and President Vladimir Putin's office had arrived in the morning in the Belarusian city of Gomel.

 

 

 

The development comes after Russia had earlier sent a delegation to Ukraine's neighbor Belarus and said it was ready to start peace negotiations with Ukraine in Gomel city. But Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky had rejected Moscow's offer, saying he would not engage in peace negotiations in a country from where missiles were being launched on his nation. However, Ukraine agreed to hold talks with Russia at the Belarus border as a result of a phone call conversation between President Zelensky and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

 

 

Earlier in the day, Ukraine's neighbor Belarus had passed a constitutional referendum revoking its non-nuclear status and paving the way for Russian nuclear weapons to be placed in the country. According to The Kyiv Independent, 65.16 per cent of citizens allegedly supported these constitutional amendments. Belarus President Lukashenko has also significantly extended his executive powers. Additionally, multiple sources have said that Belarus will be joining Russia's war on Ukraine very soon.

 

 

Russia declared war on Ukraine on Thursday, February 24. Ever since, the Russian forces have been launching strikes on military bases and other places across Ukraine. Russian troops are also attempting to make their way to the capital city of Kyiv.