WASHINGTON, May 18. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said that Moscow is preparing a document with demands for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
"We talked about a variety of things. […] He explained to me that they are going to be preparing a document outlining their requirements for a ceasefire that would then lead to broader negotiations," he said.
The Secretary of State noted that, during their conversation, he had also wanted to know Lavrov's opinion on the negotiations that took place in Istanbul on May 16. The Secretary of State added that Kiev will work on its own ceasefire plan. He expressed hope that Russia's and Ukraine's proposals will be "close enough" to each other.
The Secretary of State added that Kiev will also work on its own ceasefire plan. He expressed hope that the proposals prepared by Russia and Ukraine will be "close enough" to each other.
As the Russian Foreign Ministry reported earlier, Lavrov and Rubio had a telephone conversation on May 17 at the initiative of the American side. The Russian minister noted the positive role of the United States, which contributed to Kiev ultimately accepting Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to resume the Istanbul talks. He also confirmed Moscow's readiness to continue collaborating with its American counterparts in this regard.