On Wednesday, a joint request for a meeting of the UN Security Council was made by six countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, in response to the ongoing situation in Ukraine. The UK permanent mission to the UN stated on its Twitter page that “Russia is committing war crimes and targeting civilians. Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine is a threat to us all.”
This development came amidst the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Belarus, aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The fourth round of talks took place on Wednesday, with a Ukrainian delegation member expressing optimism that progress was being made towards a compromise.
According to Mykhailo Podolyak, “The positions of the parties were very different and we have only now begun to reach some kind of compromise.” He also suggested that a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow would eventually be reached. Podolyak later clarified on Twitter that a draft peace plan circulating in the media, which called for significant concessions from Ukraine, was merely a draft of the Russian side’s request.
The talks themselves centred around several issues, including Ukraine’s neutral status and demilitarisation, as well as the size of the Ukrainian army. The Ukrainian side proposed a “neutral demilitarised state, yet a state with its own armed forces and navy” similar to the models of Austria and Sweden. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed the opinion that this proposal could be seen as a real compromise.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also spoke about Ukraine’s neutral status, stating that it was being seriously discussed in conjunction with security guarantees. He expressed hope that a businesslike approach to the talks would allow for a resolution to be reached.
The joint request by the six countries for a meeting of the UN Security Council highlights the ongoing concerns about the conflict in Ukraine and the actions of Russia. The continued negotiations between Russia and Ukraine offer hope for a peaceful resolution, but it remains to be seen whether a compromise can be reached that satisfies both sides.
