Is the meeting between Ukraine and Russia a step forward or a political show?
The proposed meeting on Monday comes after a flurry of claims from the Kremlin, which claimed earlier that Ukraine had countered Russia's request to meet in Belarus with a proposal to meet in Warsaw, then abandoned communication. The office of Zelensky disputed that they refused to negotiate.
A meeting between Russia and Ukraine is scheduled for Monday near the Pripyat River on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.
Is this a diplomatic breakthrough or a political gimmick as Russia presses its onslaught in Ukraine?
Let's start with what this isn't: The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be a summit.
Instead, it'll be a meeting of both sides' delegates. According to Zelensky's office, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko called Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday and promised to keep all planes, helicopters, and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, meeting, and return.
Can Ukraine, on the other hand, accept any pledges from Lukashenko? Last year, under the guise of a "security warning," Belarusian officials forced down a Ryanair flight over Belarusian airspace and arrested a young Belarusian dissident, provoking international outrage.
The proposed meeting on Monday comes after a flurry of claims from the Kremlin, which claimed earlier that Ukraine had countered Russia's request to meet in Belarus with a proposal to meet in Warsaw, then abandoned communication. The office of Zelensky disputed that they refused to negotiate.
Continuing a military offensive while dangling the prospect of a diplomatic track is reminiscent of the so-called "Astana process," which took place in Kazakhstan's capital in 2017, and was brokered in part by Russia to help the Syrian opposition and officials representing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad negotiate.
The yearly commemoration of Nemtsov's killing takes place in the Russian capital, but this year's event was a subdued anti-war protest: Many individuals brought flowers in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, blue and gold, as well as letters stating "No to war" and "Don't shoot."
Their presence, along with a bigger war enveloping Ukraine, is now in the open.