Slutsky expects progress at 2nd round of Moscow-Kyiv talks

MOSCOW. Feb 28 (Interfax) - The head of Russia's State Duma Foreign affairs committee, Leonid Slutsky, said after talks with Ukraine that he hoped the second round will bring the two sides closer to concrete steps to settle the situation.

"I hope that we will have a constructive second round which will bring us considerably closer to specific practical steps that will make it possible to gradually exit this situation," Slutsky said on the YouTube channel SolovievLive on Monday.

The sides managed to hear one another, he said.

"We worked for more than five hours and discussed every pressing, or I would even say 'bleeding' item on today's agenda related to the Ukraine situation. [...] We have heard one another, and this is the main result," Slutsky said.

"The next round is due in several days: two or three days later there will be a substantive conversation on the matters where the sides believe progress is possible and constructive solutions, or what mathematicians call a common denominator, could be found," he said.

As the Ukrainian side holds consultations in Kyiv after the talks, it may show in the coming hours how much it is prepared to take practical steps, Slutsky said.