Russia has constantly accused Ukraine of hindering peace talks by making unacceptable demands. Ukraine has also said that they are willing to negotiate but will not surrender or accept the demands of the Russians.
Ukrainian troops guarding the Mariupol were offered the choice to lay down the weapons and exit the city using the human corridor but the proposal was rejected by the Ukrainian administration. Kremlin today said that there is yet no progress in the peace talks between the two sides. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “For us to speak of a meeting between the two presidents, homework has to be done. Talks have to be held and their results agreed upon,” Peskov said. “There has been no significant progress so far.”
“Those (countries) who can use their influence over Kyiv to make it more accommodating and construction at these talks,” he said.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general on Monday also said that Russian shells have damaged a chemical plant outside the city of Sumy at 3:00 am which caused a leak in the 50-ton tank that took hours to contain. The Russian military spokesman , Igor Konashenkov responding to the accusations said that the leak was a “planned provocation” by Ukraine troops to falsely accuse the Russian military.
The spokesperson also continued to say that an overnight cruise missile strike hit a military base in Ukraine’s Rivne region which has killed over 80 troops and foreign nationals. The strikes were confirmed by the head of the Rivne regional military administration who said that two missiles hit a training region but didn’t confirm anything about the casualties or injuries.
President Zelenskyy said in a video address said “The meetings continue, and, I am informed, the positions during the negotiations already sound more realistic. But time is still needed for the decisions to be in the interests of Ukraine.”