Second round of Russia-Ukraine talks set for Wednesday: report

Another round of Russia-Ukraine talks is scheduled for Wednesday, Russian news agency TASS reported, citing a source on the Russian side.

The talks follow the first round on Monday, which lasted 5 hours but resulted in no agreements to end fighting. 

TASS reported that another Ukrainian media outlet, Glavkom, disclosed the terms proposed by the two countries during the initial talks. Russia reportedly demanded that Ukraine’s parliament commits to keeping the country out of the European Union, according to TASS.

Russia also demanded that Ukraine recognize the two breakaway regions that are referred to as the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. Russia also told Ukraine to drop its demand that Crimea, a peninsula along the northern coast of the Black Sea, be returned to Ukraine. 

Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 in a nearly bloodless occupation.

Ukraine, in turn, demanded a cease-fire and a withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday posted photos of himself signing an application to join the EU, a process that can take years. Eight EU countries supported an expedited membership process for Ukraine. 

Despite the continuing diplomacy, Russian attacks on Ukraine have intensified as its invasion enters its sixth day. 

Russian forces pressed closer to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Tuesday as heavy shelling struck the nation’s second-largest city, Kharkiv.

In response, Zelensky called for a war crimes investigation over the Russian attack.

Updated: 1:49 p.m.