Nothing ‘promising’ from Russia-Ukraine talks: Kremlin

[superadmin]

MOSCOW – The Kremlin yesterday played down hopes of a breakthrough following peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegates in Istanbul a day earlier.

“We cannot state that there was anything too promising or any breakthroughs,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“There is a lot of work to be done,” Peskov said.

He added that Moscow considered it “positive” that Kyiv had started outlining its demands in writing.

“We carefully avoid making statements on the matters” that are discussed at the talks because “we believe that negotiations should take place in silence,” he added.

Moscow’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, described talks in Istanbul on Monday as “meaningful”.

A defence official at the talks said Russia would be significantly reducing its military activity near Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and the city of Chernigiv.

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