Zelensky says any 'compromise' in Russia talks to be put to referendum

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says any agreement that would be yielded from the peace talks with Russia that are aimed to end the conflict would be put to referendum in Ukraine.

"I explained it to all the negotiating groups: when you speak of all these changes (in a future accord) and they can be historic... we will come back to a referendum," Zelensky told Suspilne, a Ukrainian internet news site.

"The people will have to weigh in on certain kinds of compromise," Zelensky added, noting that what the compromises cover are part of the negotiations with Moscow.

He reiterated that Kiev would not join NATO, a sticking point to the conflict, because its member states "are afraid of Russia."

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” aimed at “demilitarization” of the restive Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

In 2014, the two regions declared themselves new republics, refusing to recognize Ukraine’s Western-backed government.

Announcing the operation, Putin said the mission was aimed at “defending people who for eight years are suffering persecution and genocide by the Kiev regime.”

Delegations from Kiev and Moscow have been negotiating since the onset of the Russian military campaign.

Turkey: Russia, Ukraine ‘close to agreement’, made progress on ‘critical’ issues

“Of course, it is not an easy thing to come to terms with while the war is going on, while civilians are killed, but we would like to say that momentum is still gained,” Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

‘No new agreements on corridors’

On Tuesday, Ukraine said its efforts to evacuate civilians from besieged towns and cities were focused on Mariupol.

"We are focusing on evacuations from Mariupol," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

Moscow has set a deadline for Kiev to surrender the city of Mariupol. It has also promised safe passage to Ukrainian nationalists in the besieged city, on the condition that they lay down their arms.

Kiev, however, has rejected Russia’s demands. It says giving up the city is out of the question.

Vereshchuk announced a list of places from where civilians would be evacuated, but that did not include Mariupol.

She also did not announce any new deals with Russia on creating "humanitarian corridors" to allow safe passage for residents.

Russia stops peace treaty talks with Japan

Also on Tuesday, Russia's Foreign Ministry announced that Moscow has halted the peace treaty talks with Japan over the disputed Kuril islands, known by Tokyo as the Northern Territories, citing Japan's "openly unfriendly positions and attempts to damage the interests of our country."

"Under the current conditions Russia does not intend to continue negotiations with Japan on a peace treaty," the ministry said in a statement.

Russia also decided to withdraw from talks with Japan about joint business projects on the disputed islands and ended visa-free travel by Japanese nationals.

The statement comes as the East Asian country joined Western countries and imposed sanctions against Moscow over the military operation in Ukraine.

The Russian decision angered Tokyo, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida describing it as "unfair" and "completely unacceptable".

The Kuril Islands, located in the Sea of Okhotsk, lie fewer than 10 kilometers from Japan’s Hokkaido, consisting of Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan, and Habomai.

Following Japan’s surrender in World War II, the strategic islands were taken over by the Soviet army in the final days of the war. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the four islands were incorporated into the Russian Federation but Japan continues to lay claim to the islands.

According to a joint declaration signed in 1956, the Soviet Union agreed to return two of the islands provided that a bilateral peace treaty is signed. Japan refused to sign such an agreement, insisting on the return of all four islands.

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