The Kremlin said on Friday that the next round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will be taking place on Feb. 17-18 in Geneva, Switzerland.
"The next round of negotiations on a Ukrainian settlement will also take place in a trilateral ... format on Feb. 17-18 in Geneva," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a press briefing.
He added that Russia's delegation at the upcoming talks will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Earlier on Friday, Peskov confirmed that an agreement was reached to hold the next round of peace talks "next week," but gave no further details.
Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of US-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, in January and earlier this month. As a result, they agreed to the first exchange of war prisoners in five months.
Discussions on a new round of negotiations have ensued since the latest talks on Feb. 4-5, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying they are expected to take place on Feb. 17-18, in remarks to Bloomberg News published on Wednesday.
US authorities have yet to comment on Peskov's remarks, though Zelenskyy's communications advisor Dmytro Lytvyn also confirmed the date and location of the talks in remarks to Ukrainian media outlets, including state news agency Ukrinform.
In a later statement on US social media company Facebook, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said Kyiv's delegation has already begun preparations for the meeting.
He said the team, besides himself, will include head of presidential office Kyrylo Budanov and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov. The team has been formed "taking into account the military, political, and security components of the process," he added.
"We will work on substantive decisions within the framework defined by the Head of State. The goal remains unchanged – a sustainable and lasting peace. We are preparing for serious and responsible work," he added.
