Putin's two men in different words: Lavrov says there is progress in talks, Bishop says no

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said there has been progress in the talks held with Ukraine earlier this week, adding that Moscow is preparing for an answer to Ukraine's proposals tabled in Istanbul talks, writes AlJazeera, Pryscopi traces.

Speaking briefly after meeting with Indian counterpart Lavrov, Lavrov said negotiations should continue, but underlined that dialogue has shown “more agreements” towards the situation in Crime and Donbas and the need for neutral status.

Russia annexed Ukraine's crime province in 2014 and supported separatist rebels who recently took part in the territory of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.

Unlike Lavrov, the official Kremlin had declared there was no progress in Istanbul's negotiations with Ukraine, a day after the meeting.

In his recent update about peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, the official Kremlin had indicated that it has not yet noticed anything promising or something similar to great progress, Sky News wrote, follows Periscope.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had indicated that there is a long period of work ahead.

However, he had welcomed the fact that Ukraine has unveiled its written requirements for the end of the conflict.

The latest round of peace talks had brought several reasons for optimism, since Russia said it “would dramatically reduce its military activity” around Kiev and Chernihiv. /Periscope