BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA /Belarus/, March 8. /TASS/. Russia hopes eventually to settle with Ukraine the issue of recognizing the Russian ownership of Crimea, as well as the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), according to Vladimir Medinsky, who heads the Russian delegation at the talks with Ukraine.
"I would not want to comment on what the Ukrainian side says during the negotiations and after them. We agreed not to make it public. According to them, this (recognition of Crimea as Russian and the sovereignty of the DPR and LPR - TASS) is "practically" impossible. In my opinion, there is a big difference between impossible and practically impossible. Both issues are of paramount importance for Russia, for Russians, and, of course, for the position of our delegation. I hope that eventually we will find a solution," he said in an interview with RT.
The third round of Russian-Ukrainian talks, held in Belarus on March 7, did not bring the desired results, representatives of both Moscow and Kiev stated. Both sides expressed their readiness to continue negotiations and noted positive developments on humanitarian corridors, which could not be launched on Monday. The parties have not yet named specific dates and place of the meeting, but, according to a member of the Russian delegation, chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky, it will take place in Belarus in the near future.