Local residents inspect damaged cars at the site of a Russian attack in Odesa, Friday, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Six people died in Russian strikes across Ukraine overnight that targeted the southern port city of Odesa and energy infrastructure, officials announced. Moscow has stepped up its attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure in recent weeks despite pressure by the United States to reach a peace deal with Kyiv. AFP-Yonhap
MOSCOW — Moscow confirmed on Friday that a new round of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine would begin next week.
The meeting will take place in Geneva on Jan. 17-18 and again involve Russia, Ukraine and the United States, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the state news agency TASS.
Moscow and Kiev last negotiated directly with each other in the United Arab Emirates at the beginning of February. As in the first round in January, the United States was present as a mediator.
No concrete results were announced after those talks, but the parties involved described the meeting as constructive afterwards.
Peskov also said on Friday that Russia was changing the composition of its negotiating team.
The Russian delegation would this time be led by former culture minister and presidential advisor Vladimir Medinsky. He took part in direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul last year and in talks shortly after the start of the war.
The talks in Abu Dhabi were led on the Russian side by Igor Kostyukov, the head of the GRU military intelligence service.
Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion with Western financial and military help for almost four years.
Source: Korea Times News
