Ukraine and Russia are holding peace talks amid ongoing conflict and after Russia put its nuclear forces on “high alert”.
By
MAHDI MUHAMMAD, B. Josie Susilo Hardianto
·4 minutes read
AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Carnival revelers show signs for peace in Cologne, Germany, during a peace march of tens of thousands against the war in Ukraine on Shrove Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. The traditional carnival Rose Monday Parade in Cologne was cancelled due to Russia's war in Ukraine. Instead of the parade, the political carnival floats were placed in the city followed by a peace protest of revelers.
KYIV, MONDAY – A glimmer of hope appeared amid the raging war in Ukraine on Monday (28/2/2022). The Ukrainian delegation met with the Russian delegation in Gomel, Homiel province, Belarus. The meeting place was approximately 338 kilometers northwest of Kyiv.
The Russian negotiation team was led by Vladimir Medinsky, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy. The Ukrainian negotiating team was led by Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.
While he did not announce his official stance ahead of the talks, the Russian representative said he hoped to reach some agreement in the talks. “We are certainly interested in reaching some agreement as soon as possible,” said Medinsky.
Meanwhile, the Office of the President of Ukraine announced that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had several demands, namely a ceasefire and the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. At the same time, however, Ukraine is pessimistic that the negotiations in Gomel will be able to deliver the expected results.
At the time of writing, negotiations were ongoing. The talks were held about five days after the Russian military began invading Ukraine last Thursday.
Putin claimed that the invasion, which he described as a special military operation, was aimed at supporting pro-Russian separatist movements in Donetsk and Lugansk. The invasion of Ukraine, which is a sovereign state, was condemned by many.
Restraint
As negotiations began, the Chinese government – Russia’s current main ally – called on all the conflicting parties to exercise restraint and reduce attacks on one another. The statement was made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.
In his statement, Wang urged both sides to remain calm and exercise restraint to prevent the conflict from escalating. “China is very concerned about the changes in Ukraine’s situation and supports all efforts to defuse the situation and resolve it politically,” Wang said at a press conference.
The importance of mutual self-restraint is very much needed because the situation is still volatile. One indication was Putin’s order to prepare nuclear powers and ready Russia’s Northern and Pacific Fleet for combat duty.
AFP/ANATOLII STEPANOV
Ukrainian tanks move on a road before an attack in Lugansk region on February 26, 2022. - Russia on February 26 ordered its troops to advance in Ukraine "from all directions" as the Ukrainian capital Kyiv imposed a blanket curfew and officials reported 198 civilian deaths.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, quoted by Interfax, said Putin had ordered the command posts of the Strategic Missile Forces, Northern and Pacific Fleet and Long-Range Aviation Command to prepare for battle.
The move drew criticism from the United States and its allies. A senior US defense official said Putin is dealing with a very dangerous force, especially if miscalculated.
Meanwhile, fighting is still ongoing in Ukraine. According to senior US defense officials, the Russian military has fired 350 missiles at a number of targets, including civilian homes and apartments. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, was targeted by Russian fighter jets.
In several cities in eastern Ukraine, fighting broke out and frightened residents. Residents have retreated to places of refuge, such as building halls and basements.
“I sit and pray that the negotiations end successfully so that they can reach an agreement to end the killings and that there will be no more war,” said resident Alexandra Mikhailova, who sobbed as she held her cat at a makeshift shelter in southeastern Ukraine.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused 500,000 people to flee to safer areas. UNHCR head Filippo Grandi tweeted that 500,000 Ukrainians had fled to other countries, such as Poland, Hungary, Romania and Moldova.
Indonesian citizens
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah said that as of Monday night, 31 Indonesian citizens had been successfully evacuated from Ukraine. “Currently, the finalization of the evacuation process for those in Kyiv is underway. The Foreign Minister has assigned Mr. Judha [Judha Nugraha, the ministry’s director of protection of Indonesian citizens and Indonesian legal entities] to go to Romania and immediately coordinate the evacuation from there,” he said.
According to Faizasyah, repatriating Indonesian citizens to Indonesia is part of the evacuation plan. “However, the decision to go back to Indonesia or not is up to each of them, who may, for one reason or another, decide not to return,” said Faizasyah.
