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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: IANS |Updated: Mar 09, 2022, 02:28 PM IST
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba will meet in Turkey on Thursday, Russia's Foreign Ministry confirmed today.
This will represent the first meeting between the two leaders since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the BBC reported.
Lavrov will be attending an international diplomatic forum in Antalya, and his "contact" with Kuleba is planned to take place there, Russian state-owned news outlet RIA Novosti quoted Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova as saying on Wednesday morning.
READ | Russia to observe 'regime of silence' in Ukraine for evacuation of civilians
The meeting was proposed by Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had proposed holding it in a trilateral format with him, Kuleba, and Lavrov at the table.
It has been reported that the meeting will take place on Thursday, while the diplomatic forum is scheduled to take place on Friday.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have so far proven challenging, with no concrete agreement reached as yet.
Meanwhile, media reports have said that Russia has announced a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine for Wednesday morning for the evacuation of the civilian population.
Mikhail Mizintsev, head of Russia's National Defence Control Centre, was quoted as saying by the Tass news agency that Russian forces would "observe a regime of silence" from 10 am Moscow time (0700 GMT) to ensure safe passage for civilians wishing to leave Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Mariupol.
It was unclear if the proposed routes would pass through Russia or Belarus, conditions previously opposed by the Ukrainian government.
