Future of Ukraine talks up in the air after government rules against Russian ‘occupation’

One day after the Ukrainian government passed a law that formally recognises its eastern war as a “temporary Russian occupation,” a squabble broke out over who would host peace talks.

On Friday Belarus mocked Kazakhstan’s suggestion that it should host the talks, with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei saying that the ex-Soviet nation “isn’t seeking peacemaker’s laurels unlike some others.” He added that moving the talks elsewhere wouldn’t change anything.

“The negotiations’ venue is hardly relevant,” Makei said. “The negotiations on Ukraine could even be moved to Antarctica if there is a certainty about their success.”

He added that for the talks to succeed it’s necessary that every party in the conflict sincerely aims to end the bloodshed. The talks were previously held in Minsk.

Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday defined the ongoing violence between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed insurgents after nearly four years of fighting that has claimed more than 10,000 lives.