“First, a complete ceasefire is needed,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview for Reuters news agency, referring to the continuation of negotiations between Moscow and Kiev.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday that Ukraine is assessing the results of Monday’s meeting with the Russian delegation and assured that Kiev will be ready to attend a new meeting if necessary.

He stressed that his Government is ready to meet and solve the situation diplomatically, but stressed that it would not come to negotiations if Russia “plans to announce ultimatums.”

Earlier, a Russian source told TASS news agency that the next round of talks between the sides was going to be held this Wednesday.

The first meeting took place in the Belarusian city of Gopel on Monday and according to comments, important points for a common position were found to move forward.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after the authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Lugansk People’s Republic requested help to repel the aggression from Kiev.

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