At 4:19 on March 28, Beijing time:
Turkish, Russian foreign ministers discuss Ukraine situation by phone
In the middle of the night on March 27, local time, Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu had a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov to discuss the current situation in Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, the leaders of Turkey and Russia held a conference call. Erdogan and Putin agreed that a new round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.
On the same day, Alahamia, a member of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation and chairman of the parliamentary group of the Ukrainian People’s Servant Party, revealed that the talks will be held in Turkey from March 28 to 30 local time. Mezinski, head of the Russian negotiating delegation, said that a new round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations will be held offline from March 29 to 30.
At 2:43 on March 28, Beijing time:
Zelensky: Demilitarization will not be discussed at all in talks with Russia
On March 27, local time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Ukrainian side will not discuss the issue of demilitarization and “denazification” in negotiations with Russia at all, and he believes that these concepts are incomprehensible. When talking about the status of the Russian language, Zelensky believed that the languages and traditions of all ethnic groups should be respected each other, and Russia and Ukraine should sign a treaty on the use of relevant languages under reciprocal conditions.
Zelensky stressed that he is willing to meet Russia on the issue of security and Ukraine’s neutrality, but the relevant treaty should be signed by all sponsoring countries and ratified by national parliaments. And because the issue involves amending the Ukrainian constitution, a referendum should be held to expedite the process.
At 1:58 on March 28, Beijing time:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin
On the 27th local time, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone.
According to a statement issued by the Turkish Communications Agency, the two sides discussed the latest situation in Russia and Ukraine and the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine. Erdogan stressed the need for an early ceasefire to achieve peace and to improve the humanitarian situation in the region, and said Turkey would continue to make every possible contribution in the process.
Erdogan and Putin have agreed that the next round of meetings of the Russian-Ukrainian negotiating team will be held in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.
At 23:11 on March 27, Beijing time:
New round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine to be held in Turkey
On March 27, local time, Arahamia, a member of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation and chairman of the parliamentary group of the Ukrainian People’s Servant Party, said that a new round of face-to-face talks between Ukraine and Russia will be held in Turkey from March 28 to 30.
On the same day, Mezinski, head of the Russian negotiating delegation, said that a new round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations will be held offline from March 29 to 30.
At 22:59 on March 27, Beijing time:
Ukraine exports grain to Europe by rail as ports are blocked
Due to the blockade of seaports, Ukraine has begun to export grain to Europe by rail on the 27th local time. Trains from Ukraine to Europe can export as much as 600,000 tons of grain per month, and Ukrainian traders have also successfully transported Ukrainian corn to Europe from the western border by train for the first time, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Transport.
It is reported that almost all Ukrainian grains are traditionally exported from Black Sea ports, and the monthly export volume of Ukrainian grain before the Russian-Ukrainian conflict exceeded 5 million tons. Ukraine is urgently organizing the transport of agricultural products by rail to the borders of Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.
At 17:34 on March 27, Beijing time:
Zelensky signs decree banning unauthorized dissemination of information about Ukrainian military operations and location
On the 27th local time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a relevant decree prohibiting the unauthorized dissemination of information on the deployment of the Ukrainian armed forces and the international military assistance provided to Ukraine during the war or state of emergency.
According to the decree, dissemination of information on the movement of international military aid to Ukraine without the public or written permission of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is punishable by three to five years in prison. Dissemination of information about the movements, movements or positions of the Ukrainian army or other Ukrainian military formations without the public or written permission of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is punishable by 5 to 8 years in prison.
In addition, the decree stipulates that if such information is premeditated or voluntarily provided to a country or an illegal armed group carrying out a military aggression against Ukraine, or if serious consequences have been caused, a prison sentence of 8 to 12 years can be imposed.
At 16:46 on March 27, Beijing time:
Luhansk leader: Referendum to join Russian Federation may be held soon
On the 27th local time, Luhansk leader Pasechnik said that a referendum on joining the Russian Federation may be held in the near future.
In the referendum, the people of Luhansk will exercise their absolute constitutional rights and express their views on joining the Russian Federation, Pasechnik said.
On the 27th local time, when talking about Russia’s response to the possible Luhansk referendum, Krishas, a member of the Russian Federation Council, said that Luhansk and Donetsk have the right to make any decision.
Kalashnikov, chairman of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, said on the same day that now is not the right time to hold a referendum on Luhansk joining the Russian Federation.
At 16:45 on March 27, Beijing time:
Russian official: Russia-Ukraine talks continue without major breakthrough
On the 27th local time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova said when talking about the Russia-Ukraine negotiations that the world is currently watching how the Russia-Ukraine negotiations are progressing. The negotiations are currently neither good nor bad, sometimes tense and sometimes relaxed.
Earlier, the head of the Russian delegation for the Russia-Ukraine negotiation, Mezinski, said that the two sides have converged on secondary issues, but they have not moved forward on major issues.
At 16:14 on March 27, Beijing time:
British Foreign Secretary: Sanctions on Russia will only end when it withdraws troops
On March 27, local time, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that the sanctions on Russia are a “hard lever” that can only be lifted after Ukraine’s “full ceasefire and withdrawal”. Truss also said Russia must commit to no further military action or face new sanctions.
Truss said the West must remain “tough for peace”. To date, the UK, US and EU have imposed sanctions on more than a thousand Russian individuals and businesses.
At 6:39 on March 27, Beijing time:
Zelensky: Continued conflict between Russia and Ukraine will endanger world economy
On the 26th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a video speech at the Doha Forum in Qatar. In his speech, Zelensky claimed that Russia’s military operations blocked Ukrainian ports and affected Ukraine’s exports of agricultural products and other economic resources. If Russia is not stopped, the world will have an economic crisis.
Zelensky also called on Qatar and other Gulf countries to increase energy exports to ease Europe’s current dependence on Russian energy.
