Russia says not trying to `overthrow` Ukraine govt, `some progress` being made in talks

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing, referring to three rounds of talks with Kyiv, that the Russian military had not been tasked to `overthrow the current government.`

KYIV: Russia on Wednesday said that it is negotiating with officials from Kyiv to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and underscored that Moscow's troops were “not working to topple the Ukrainian government.’’

"Some progress has been made," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing, referring to three rounds of talks with Kyiv. Maria Zakharova said the Russian military had not been tasked to "overthrow the current government."

Zakharova told the press briefing that Russia`s military operation was going strictly in line with its plan, adding “Russia will achieve its goal of ensuring Ukraine`s neutral status and would prefer to do that through talks.”

It may be noted that Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday agreed to a day-long ceasefire around a series of evacuation corridors to allow civilians to escape the fighting. 

Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Moscow vowed to respect the truce from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm around six areas that have been heavily hit by the fighting, including regions near Kyiv, in Zaporizhzhia in the south, and some parts of Ukraine's northeast.

In a bid to further punish Russia over the Ukraine invasion, President Joe Biden had on Tuesday announced a ban on US imports of Russian oil, gas and energy, in the administration's most far-reaching action yet to punish Moscow for invading Ukraine.

"We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy. That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to (President Vladimir) Putin," Biden said in an address from the White House, adding that the decision was taken "in close consultation" with allies.

Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Western countries for their retaliation against Russia, but also noted that NATO had failed to accede to his demands to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine.