MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators will continue talks on the situation in Ukraine later on Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

According to him, talks "are expected [to continue] today." "I don’t know if they are already underway but they are expected [to take place] on various tracks," Peskov said. He noted that the negotiation process involved various working groups. "But contacts are expected to be held today," Peskov added.

He also emphasized that Ukraine was not showing much enthusiasm for non-stop talks with Russia. "Our delegation, led by [Presidential Aide Vladimir] Medinsky, maintains contact with experts and government agencies, it’s ready to work around the clock, it has made its willingness clear. Unfortunately, we don’t see similar enthusiasm from the Ukrainian side," the Russian presidential spokesman said.

The first round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations was held on February 28 in the Gomel Region of Belarus. The second round took place in Belovezhskaya Pushcha on March 3, and the third round in the Brest Region of Belarus on March 7. On March 10, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Antalya, Turkey. The next round of talks between Moscow and Kiev kicked off online on Monday. An announcement was made later that the parties had taken a break but the negotiations resumed on Tuesday.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation based on a request from the heads of the Donbass republics. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans to occupy Ukrainian territories and the goal was to demilitarize and denazify the country.