Russian and Ukrainian officials began talks on the Belarusian border on February 28, Monday according to Moscow – as Russia’s diplomatic and economic isolation intensifies four days after invading Ukraine, the worst attack on a European state since World War II.
Russian soldiers conquered two small cities in southeastern Ukraine, as well as the territory surrounding a nuclear power plant, according to the Interfax news agency on Monday, but met heavy opposition elsewhere.
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After a slower-than-expected Russian advance, talks began with the goal of an early ceasefire and the evacuation of Russian soldiers, according to the Ukrainian president’s office.
Russia has been more cautious, with the Kremlin reluctant to comment on Moscow’s negotiating objectives.
It was unclear if any headway could be made after President Vladimir Putin initiated the attack on Thursday and placed Russia’s nuclear deterrent on high alert on Sunday.
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The discussions are taking place along the border with Russia’s staunch ally Belarus, where a vote on Sunday passed a new constitution that abandons the country’s non-nuclear status at a time when the former Soviet republic has become a staging ground for Russian soldiers invading Ukraine.
The Western-led response to the invasion was comprehensive, with sanctions virtually cutting off Moscow’s main financial institutions from the Western markets, driving Russia’s rouble currency down 30 percent against the dollar on Monday. Countries have also increased their arms supply to Ukraine.
