Russia and Ukraine ‘close to agreeing’ on neutral status, says Sergei Lavrov
by Isobel Koshiw in Kyiv and Daniel Boffey from on (#5X5NR)
Foreign minister's claim undermined by aggressive comments from Vladimir Putin
A peace deal under which Ukraine abandons its Nato aspirations in return for Russian withdrawal and western security guarantees appeared to inch closer on Wednesday even as Vladimir Putin's troops were accused of killing people queueing for bread in a northern Ukrainian city.
Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, suggested talks were making progress despite continued bloodshed and fears from some EU leaders that the Kremlin was toying with Kyiv.
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