Andrei Fedorov, Russia's former deputy foreign minister, said the next few days were key in Russia's invasion of Ukraine because President Vladimir Putin's initial order was to "complete the military operation with victory on March 2".
“There should be talks going on without preconditions. I know the position of my friends in Kyiv and the Ukrainian leadership. They are ready to sit down and talk, but without preconditions," he told Al Jazeera on Sunday (27/2).
Ukraine and Russia have agreed to hold talks at a site near the Belarusian border, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday.
The talks, the first announced since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last week, will be held without preconditions and are the result of telephone talks between Zelenskyy and the Belarusian president.
However, Ukraine's military said on Monday (28/2), Russian troops had slowed their offensive into the fifth day of Moscow's offensive against the country.
"The Russian occupation has reduced the speed of attacks, but is still trying to develop success in some areas," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said, as quoted by Channel News Asia.
The move comes amid plans for talks between Russia and Ukraine in Belarus. The Russian delegation has arrived in Belarus, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.
"In line with the agreement, a Russian delegation consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense and other institutions, including the presidential office, has arrived in Belarus for talks with the Ukrainian side," Peskov said.
"We will be ready to start these talks in Gomel (Belarus)," he stressed, as quoted by TASS.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry confirmed the arrival of a Russian delegation in Gomel for talks with Ukraine.
"The Belarusian side has prepared everything necessary for the talks, ensuring a complete solution of all protocols, logistics and other issues," Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz said, as reported by TASS.
According to a TASS source, talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations will start Monday (28/2) morning local time. "This is not a delay. The meeting will start in the morning. The reason is the logistics of the Ukrainian delegation," he said.
Assistant to Russian President Vladimir Medinsky, who is leading the Russian delegation, earlier said an agreement had been reached with Ukraine on Sunday (27/2) to hold talks in the Gomel Region, Belarus.