Russian President Vladimir Putin
...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent brass hats as intermediaries as Russian and Ukrainian forces continued battling in Ukraine, including near major cities such as Kyiv. The negotiations were held in Belarus, which has allowed Russian forces to pass through during the war.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Zelensky, told news hounds after talks broke off that the primary aim was to discuss a ceasefire.
"The parties have determined several priority topics on which certain decisions have been envisioned," Podolyak said. "The parties are returning to their capitals to have the possibility to implement these decisions. The parties have discussed the possibility to hold in the nearest time a second round of negotiations where these issues will get to be practically developed."
Podolyak later took to Twitter, writing: "Negotiations are difficult. However,
man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them...
without any obligatory ultimatums already. Unfortunately, the Russian side is still extremely biased regarding the destructive processes it launched."
Vladimir Medinsky, who headed the Russian delegation, said the five-hour talks included finding points of agreement on unspecified various agenda items and featured an agreement to continue negotiations.
"The next meeting will take place in the coming days at the Polish—Belarusian border. There is already a relevant agreement. Before the meeting, both delegations, the leaders of both delegations, will consult with their countries’ leadership concerning their negotiation positions," Medinsky said.