Russia and Ukraine hold high-level talks along Belarusian border to resolve the crisis

Ceasefire talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials ended along the Belarusian border. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office has demanded the withdrawal of all Russian troops, including from Crimea and Donbass, at peace talks in Belarus.

Representatives of Russia and Ukraine will return to their respective capitals for further consultations before the second round of talks. The next round of negotiations will be held on the Polish-Belarusian border, reported Sputnik citing Russia’s delegation head Vladimir Medinsky.

The talks began earlier in the day at the border town of Gomel between the delegations of the two countries even as heavy firing continued in cities and suburbs of Ukraine. The talks came to an end around the same time when it was reported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had signed an official request for his country’s membership to the European Union.