Peace Talk: Ukraine delegation arrives Belarus

Negotiators said Russia wants to reach an agreement with Ukraine to put an end to their conflict.

"We definitely have an interest in reaching some agreements as soon as possible," Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aide, Vladimir Medinsky who travelled to Belarus for the talks, said in televised remarks.

"We are waiting for the arrival of the Ukrainian delegation," he said, adding he expected the talks to start at noon local time.

Meanwhile, Ukraine delegation has arrived for peace talks with Russia at the Belarus border.

As combat raged and Western-led sanctions began to bite, the ruble collapsed, Russia and Ukraine were preparing Monday for their first talks since Moscow's invasion.

Ukraine announced on Sunday that it has agreed to send a delegation to meet Russian representatives on the Belarusian border, marking the enemies' first public contact since the conflict began.

Belarus declared on Monday that the negotiations would begin as soon as the delegates arrived, and that the location had been set.

With hundreds of civilian casualties reported by his government and Russian troops besieging major cities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism about the discussions.

"As always, I have my doubts about the outcome of this meeting," he remarked, "but let them try."