Next round of Ukraine peace talks could be this week, Kyiv says

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Another round of talks aimed at ending the war inUkraine could be held at end of this week, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff told Ukrainian media on Monday.

Ukraine, Russia and the United States have held several rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi and Geneva as Washington seeks an end to four years of war since Moscow’s 2022 invasion.

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“I think at the end of the week, this week,” Kyrylo Budanov told reporters when asked about the next round of talks.

“It is no secret that the negotiations are not easy, but we are definitely moving forward and approaching the moment when all sides will need to make final decisions – whether to continue this war or transition to peace,” the president’s office quoted him as saying.

Budanov also said the next exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine could happen this week, and that it could be bigger than the previous one when the countries returned 157 POWs each. He did not give a specific number.

Asked about Russia’s conduct in the talks, Budanov said it had been “restrained, polite and professional.”

“They behave in a completely diplomatically correct manner; it’s also clear to everyone that we have different positions,” he told reporters.

Budanov said Ukraine was “doing everything” to organise a meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia, but that at present this was “very difficult.”

Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Max Hunder; Editing by Sharon Singleton

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