Kremlin: Kiev needs to take only one serious step

All parties to the trilateral negotiations on the settlement of the Ukraine now understands that Kiev needs to take only one serious step towards a settlement. This was reported to journalists by Presidential Aide for International Affairs Yuri Ushakov.

"Everyone understands, including, I would say, the Ukrainian negotiators, that now Kiev needs to take only one serious step, after which, firstly, military operations will be suspended, and secondly, the prospect will open for serious discussion of the prospects for further long-term settlement of this problem," Ushakov said. "Everyone understands this, and therefore now, frankly speaking, convincing each other is in many ways a waste of time, because now this step is expected from Kiev, in particular, from Zelensky. If it can be done, then we will make dramatic progress in resolving this situation," the Kremlin spokesman stressed.

The presidential aide assured that all opportunities and efforts were used to convince the Ukrainian team of the need to take such a step. "Ukrainian negotiators understand this very well. They also understand that everything depends on the decision of their political leadership," he said.

Speaking about the trilateral negotiations on the Ukrainian settlement, Ushakov recalled that after the meeting in this format in Geneva in February, there were no contacts between the three.

"You know that the American participants in these negotiations were, and are still busy with another rather serious and important problem. In addition, I would say that during the trilateral negotiations there was a situation where all three sides understand what needs to be done to achieve some important step in the context of this diplomatic work," the Kremlin spokesman added, quoted by TASS.