(VOVWORLD) - Talks between Moscow and Kyiv over the crisis in Ukraine, which had been conducted in person in Belarus, have continued via a video link, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday.
 Delegations of Russia and Ukraine meet in Gomel, Belarus, on February 28, 2022 (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) |
Following a 2-hour phone conversation on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed to continue holding contacts on Ukraine issue. .
Putin informed Macron and Scholz of the situation on the ground in response to the issues raised by them regarding the humanitarian situation in Donbass, the Kremlin said. Putin cited multiple facts of gross violations of the international humanitarian law by the Ukrainian army and police: hostage taking and the use of civilians as human shields, deployment of heavy weaponry in residential areas, in proximity to hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and so on, according to the Kremlin statement. He added that the evacuation of civilians through humanitarian corridors that Russia opened was also hindered. President Putin called on Macron and Scholz to urge the Ukrainian authorities to stop such criminal acts.
The leaders of the three countries considered a number of issues related to agreements on the realization of Russia's requirements and agreed to continue contacts on Ukraine issues.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the US State Department said the US is ready to hold diplomatic talks with Russia to promote the peace process in Ukraine if Kyiv considers this useful.