'First High-Level Dialogue' Russia-Ukraine Foreign Ministers' Meeting Ends Without Results (Summary)

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Seolgina Jo] The first high-level talks since Russia's airstrikes on Ukraine were held on the 10th (local time) between the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine, but ended without finding a sharp breakthrough.

According to major foreign media such as CNN, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held a one-hour meeting on the day at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a regular diplomatic and security event held in the southern Turkish resort of Antalya.

Although three rounds of negotiations have been held to discuss ceasefire and other issues since Russia invaded Ukraine, this was the first minister-level high-level meeting. However, the meeting was brief and ended quickly.

Minister Kuleba said at a press conference immediately after the meeting that "What Russia conveyed today was that Russia will continue its invasion until Ukraine surrenders." He confirmed, "Minister Lavrov did not have the authority to discuss a ceasefire, so there was no progress on a ceasefire agreement."

At the meeting, plans to establish humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from battlegrounds such as Mariupol were also discussed. However, no significant agreement was reached. Minister Kuleba criticized the Russian side for not promising to establish humanitarian corridors. Mariupol, which has been under siege by Russian forces for 10 days, has already lost electricity, water, and heating supplies. The day before, Russian forces attacked a maternity hospital, killing at least three people including children, drawing worldwide criticism.

Minister Kuleba emphasized, "The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is not ready to take collective action," and "So far, it has been the Ukrainian military and people who have defended Ukraine." He also expressed concern that "Ukraine is in a security vacuum."

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov also held a press conference after the meeting and stated, "No one here tried to agree on a ceasefire."

He said that the possibility of a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was discussed that day, but Russia would not engage in a 'talks for the sake of talks.' He also mentioned, "We made very clear proposals to the Ukrainian side, and the Ukrainian side promised to give a concrete answer. We are waiting for that answer."

Minister Lavrov said that Russia's military operation in Ukraine is proceeding as planned and drew a line on the possibility of escalation to nuclear war, saying, "I do not want to believe that, and I do not believe it." He also claimed that reports of the bombing of the maternity hospital in Mariupol were fake news, asserting that Ukraine's radical nationalist armed groups had taken over the hospital and carried out the attack.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has not yet set a date for the fourth round of negotiations with Ukraine but hopes to hold the fourth round by the end of this month. On the same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko responded "No" to reporters' questions about whether the date for the fourth round of talks had been set, and to a follow-up question about plans to hold the fourth round by the end of the month, he said, "We hope so."

Meanwhile, claims have emerged that the number of child deaths since Russia's invasion of Ukraine has reached 71. Lyudmyla Denisova, Ukraine's parliamentary human rights commissioner, announced on the 24th of last month that since Russia's invasion until now, 71 children have died and at least 100 have been injured.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.