This is the War in Ukraine newsletter. Do you want to receive it in your email? Sign up below.
In a room in Brest, Belarus, nine men – four Ukrainians and five Russians – sat down to negotiate on Monday (7). The meeting, the third since the beginning of the conflict, ended with timid advances.
In today’s edition, I invite reporter Igor Gielow, who covered conflicts in Lebanon, Israel and Algeria and was in Russia in the first week of the invasion of Ukraine, to explain the logic of these meetings and how they happen in the midst of conflicts.
How do negotiations work during a war? Each war has its own dynamics, but, as a rule, the talks take place in a third country, preferably neutral – which is not the case now, as Belarus supports Russian action. Delegations are sent by both sides and usually bring each other’s terms, which are taken back to the countries for discussions, until an agreement is reached or not.
Where do they take place? The meetings have been taking place in Belarusian cities close to the Ukrainian border. Ukrainians are transported by helicopter.
Who participates? The Russian delegation is led by former Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinski and includes representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Parliament and the diplomatic area. The Ukrainians have as negotiators the main adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mikhailo Podoliak, and Minister Oleksii Reznikov (Defense). Another member, Denis Kireiev, was killed in Kiev on Saturday and is suspected of dealing with the Russians on the outside.
What is the balance of the meetings so far? So far, only the existence of the diplomatic channel. The main advance, the installation of humanitarian corridors agreed last week, has yet to get off the ground due to attacks and mutual accusations. On Monday, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman listed the conditions for Kiev: military surrender, recognition of Crimea as Russian and Donbass as independent, adoption of neutrality towards NATO and the European Union. It seems difficult for Ukraine to accept without a worsening in its military situation.
What happened
Follow real-time updates and read what is known so far about the war.
Do not get lost
We have selected four mandatory characters to explain the war.
Vladimir Putin
Obvious presence on the list, the Russian president ordered the invasion of the neighboring country. In a speech, he said he would “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine. report of sheet 2019 details the former KGB spy’s rise to the post of the most powerful man in the country, a 21st century Czar.
volodymir Zelensky
The Ukrainian president has already defined himself as Putin’s “number one target”. The 44-year-old actor and comedian was elected leader of the country after becoming famous in a TV series and now leads the resistance to the Russian invasion.
Sergei Lavrov
Russia’s foreign minister for nearly two decades, is a staunch ally of Putin. In advocating an invasion of Ukraine at the UN, he became a pariah and was boycotted by diplomats from other countries.
Emmanuel Macron
The French president seeks re-election and puts himself as the name to lead Europe in opposition to Putin. He called the Russian underhanded after the invasion and defended sanctions on the country.
What to see and hear to stay informed
