Russia-Ukraine talks: Will significantly reduce military activity in Kyiv, says Moscow

Istanbul, Mar 29: Russia has decided to significantly reduce military activity in Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, after another round of talks Russia and Ukraine held in Istanbul and appears to be the first major concession the Russians made since the beginning of their invasion in Ukraine more than a month ago.

Russia promises to scale down attack

Russia's deputy defense minister said that Moscow has decided to "fundamentally ... cut back" operations near the capital and another major city to "increase mutual trust" at talks aimed at ending the fighting. Alexander Fomin said Russian forces would cut back "military activity in the direction of Kyiv and Chernihiv."

"Given that the talks on the preparation of an agreement on the neutrality and non-nuclear status of Ukraine have moved into a practical field... a decision has been made to radically, by several times reduce the military activity in the areas of Kyiv and Chernigiv," Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said.

That appeared to be a goodwill gesture, but also comes as Russia's troops have become bogged down and struggled to make major advances on the ground recently in the face of stiff Ukrainian resistance, thwarting Russian President Vladimir Putin's aim of a quick military victory.

But Fomin suggested there had been progress Tuesday, saying "negotiations on preparing an agreement on Ukraine's neutrality and non-nuclear status, as well as on giving Ukraine security guarantees, are turning to practical matters."

Meaningful discussion, says Ukraine

Ukraine's military said it had noted withdrawals around Kyiv and Chernihiv, though the Pentagon said it could not corroborate Russia's claim.

Ukraine's team, meanwhile, set out a detailed framework for a future peace deal under which the country would remain neutral but its security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries, including the U.S., Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland, in an arrangement similar to NATO's an "attack on one is an attack on all" principle.

Ukraine would also be willing to hold talks over a 15-year period on the future of the Crimean Peninsula, which was seized by Russia in 2014, with both countries agreeing not to use their armed forces to resolve the issue in the meantime.

Russia's views on the proposals were not immediately clear.