Ukraine: No progress on ceasefire in Lavrov talks

STORY: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said no progress was made on achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine in talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday (March 10).

Hosted by Turkey, they were the first high-level talks between the two countries since Moscow invaded its neighbor.

Kuleba told reporters the most critical situation was in the southern port of Mariupol but that Lavrov did not commit to a humanitarian corridor there.

“I want to confirm once again that Ukraine did not surrender, is not surrendering and will not surrender. We are ready for diplomacy, we are looking for diplomatic solutions. But while there are no such solutions, we will be dedicated – by sacrificing ourselves – to defend our land, our people, from Russian aggression.”

Lavrov said Moscow wanted what he called a friendly, demilitarized Ukraine and reiterated a Russian demand that Ukraine should adopt neutral status.

Russia has presented proposals to Ukraine and wants a reply, he said.

Kuleba said Russia was demanding Ukraine's surrender.

Lavrov said President Vladimir Putin would not refuse to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy but the meeting would have to be substantive and focus on specifics.

Russia's invasion, which it calls a "special military operation", has uprooted more than 2 million people.

The United Nations says it's the fastest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War Two.

Lavrov said the proper venue for diplomacy should be Belarus, an ally of Moscow that has hosted several rounds of lower-level talks.

They have so far yielded only limited progress on opening up humanitarian corridors.