12 dead in Mykolaiv missile attack • United States: Russia’s promise may be a deception

The fact that Russia has said that it will significantly reduce military activities in Kyiv, correspondent Geert Grote-Korkamp calls it “hopeful”, but no more than a first step.

“This is a hopeful sign, but at the same time it is only a first step towards a possible end to the battle. Moscow says that Kyiv has made constructive proposals to reach an agreement on Ukraine’s future neutral status.

The head of the delegation said that as a goodwill gesture, Russia is ready at least to reduce its military activities northwest and northeast of Kyiv. There is absolutely no talk of lockdowns there, let alone anywhere else in the country.

Now the negotiating delegations must go home for further consultations. In the end, the talks could culminate in an agreement, which must be signed by the foreign ministers first, after which the way will be cleared for a direct conversation between Putin and Zelensky. But there must also be an agreement of the states that, according to Ukraine, should ensure the security of the country. Kyiv is considering members of the UN Security Council and a few other countries, including Germany. ”