Davyd Arakhamia

The talks, in which Ukrainians are directly involved, are at a very early stage because it is not clear to US, Western and Ukrainian officials that the Russian talks are more than a smokescreen.
But it is unlikely, they noted, that the United States and its allies will eventually offer Ukraine the kind of legally binding protection it seeks.

Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine started today in the Gomel region, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.
The delegations were welcomed by Vladimir Makei, head of the administration of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
"You can feel completely safe. It is our sacred duty!" Makei said, Ukrainian paper Justice reports.