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Russia will soon announce the next round of direct talks with Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
He said that one of Russia’s main demands in the peace talks is for Ukraine to remain neutral.
Speaking at a conference on South Russia in Moscow, Sergei Lavrov said that work on a peace agreement is underway and has already reached an “advanced stage” on Russia’s part.
Commenting on reports that the Vatican might host the talks, Lavrov said it would be “uncomfortable” for the Holy See to do so, as both Russia and Ukraine are Orthodox countries.
“Imagine the Vatican as a venue for negotiations. It’s rather unseemly, I would say, for Orthodox nations to discuss the elimination of root causes on a Catholic platform. I believe it would not be particularly comfortable for the Vatican either,” he said.
On May 16, Russia and Ukraine resumed direct peace talks in Istanbul after more than three years. Both sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each and start drafting a document that could lead to a ceasefire in the conflict.
After a two-hour call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, US President Donald Trump said the Vatican has shown interest in hosting the talks.