Russia, Ukraine hold new peace talks; Kyiv rejects Mariupol ultimatum

Ukrainian and Russian delegations are due to meet for another round of talks on Monday, after Kyiv rejected an ultimatum from Moscow for the port city of Mariupol to surrender overnight.

Russia had called for Ukrainian troops in Mariupol to lay down arms and leave on Monday morning, and set a 5 am deadline (0200 GMT) for Ukraine to respond. Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told Ukrayinska Pravda the response that there would be "no surrender" had been communicated to Moscow.

Both teams want to start the talks, which will take place by videolink, to start in the morning, Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podoliak said late Sunday, UNIAN news agency reported.

"Both sides' working groups have worked intensively recently," he said. High level peace talks were held last Monday.

Podoliak believes talks with Moscow to end the war will last several weeks longer, and said there were signs that Moscow's position was becoming "more reasonable" and more realistic. He did not give further details.

Moscow's demands include for Ukraine to be neutral and demilitarize, as well as to recognize the separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent states.

Ukraine has so far showed a willingness to compromise over Moscow's demand to stay neutral, but wants stronger security guarantees from the west. Kiev has not budged on its territorial integrity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is insisting on eventually meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, something that the Kremlin has so far refused to consider.

Zelensky meanwhile criticized Russian troops in his latest video address early Monday.

"They continue to look for the imaginary Nazis they apparently plan to protect our people from and still can't find Ukrainians ready to greet them with flowers," he said.