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Russia, Ukraine sought to agree on Crimea at Istanbul talks, Lukashenko says

On Tuesday, Vladimir Putin said Russia and Ukraine initialed an agreement in Istanbul, which he described as "not bad"

MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. A draft ceasefire deal discussed by the delegations of Russia and Ukraine in the spring of 2022 in Istanbul envisaged agreements on Crimea and Donbass, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Wednesday.

According to Lukashenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin handed the document over to him, complete with initials from both parties. Russia and Ukraine sought to agree on the lease of Crimea during the peace negotiations, he said.

"This is a normal [agreement]. Even on Crimea - a long-term lease and on Donbass in the east. A normal agreement. <...> And now this is already impossible. Now this is already the territory of Russia," he said in an interview with the "60 minutes" program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.

On Tuesday, Putin said Russia and Ukraine initialed an agreement in Istanbul, which he described as "not bad." However, the Kiev authorities proceeded to just throw it away. The Russian leader did not reveal the content of the document.

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Ukraine Alexander Lukashenko

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