Chinese and Russian media reported that Russia and Ukraine's foreign ministers said they were having difficulties in progressing in peace negotiations between the two sides since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleva said in an interview with China's Xinhua News Agency that negotiations had become more difficult after meeting with the Russian side in Istanbul over Turkish mediation a few weeks ago.
Earlier, at the 5th peace negotiations held in Istanbul, Turkey on March 29, the Ukrainian delegation presented requirements for security guarantees to the Russian side.
"Unfortunately, however, the progress of the peace negotiations has become more complicated," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleva said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also told Xinhua News Agency that peace talks with Ukraine were at a standstill.
Russia's state-run Interfax news agency reported that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said that "delegations from both Russia and Ukraine are discussing possible draft agreements by videoconference every day."
But he stressed that "we will be able to reach an agreement when the Ukrainian government moves in the interests of the Ukrainian people and not in the interests of their advisers from afar."