MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. The current negotiations with Kiev are hard and slow-going, but Russia is sincere in its wish to achieve peace as soon as possible, Russia’s chief delegate, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, has said.

"The talks are hard and slow-going. Of course, we would like them to proceed much faster. It is Russia’s sincere wish. We want to achieve peace as soon as possible," Medinsky said.

"The negotiators’ main task is to search through the tremendous amount of complex issues to pick those on which agreement is possible, to rely on them, to include these points of agreement in the agenda and to gradually move forward step by step towards the end result that will suit our peoples - the conclusion of peace," he said.

Medinsky remarked that he would prefer not to focus on the problems emerging in the process of negotiations.

"Really, the striving of our state and the task set by the president is to achieve peace on Ukrainian soil, to see a peaceful, neutral and friendly state, which will not be NATO’s stronghold or a citadel of forces that wish to cause harm to our country," he concluded.