Calling the recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) order relating to the ongoing war as a "complete victory" for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday asked Russia to 'immediately' comply with the order even as the ongoing peace negotiations in Belarus appeared to reach some headway with the two sides ready to make compromises.
"Ukraine gained a complete victory in its case against Russia at the International Court of Justice. The ICJ ordered to immediately stop the invasion. The order is binding under international law. Russia must comply immediately. Ignoring the order will isolate Russia even further," Zelenskyy said on Twitter.
Earlier on the same day, the ICJ at The Hague had ruled that pending the final decision in the case, Russia must suspend the military operations that it commenced on February 24 in the territory of Ukraine.
The development comes amidst the continued efforts by Russia and Ukraine to reach a negotiated settlement through the talks being held in Belarus.
While the fourth round of talks continued on Wednesday, a few details emerged suggesting that talks might be reaching some headway with a Ukrainian delegation member saying that the two sides are now willing to reach a compromise.
"The positions of the parties were very different and we have only now begun to reach some kind of compromise," Ukrainian delegation member Mykhailo Podolyak told the Ukraina 24 broadcaster, he added that Kyiv and Moscow will reach a peace agreement sooner or later, Sputnik News Agency reported.
Podolyak also later tweeted that a draft peace plan circulating in the media calling for severe concessions from Ukraine was actually just a draft of the Russian side's request.
"Briefly. FT published a draft, which represents the requesting position of the Russian side. Nothing more. The side has its own positions. The only thing we confirm at this stage is a ceasefire, withdrawal of Russian troops, and security guarantees from a number of countries," the tweet said.
Ukraine on February 26 had filed an application at the ICJ to initiate proceedings against the Russian Federation under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Ukraine seeks to address what it calls "Russia's groundless claims" that genocide has occurred in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine and establish that Russia has no lawful basis to take military action on the basis of those "false" claims.
Ukraine had also requested the ICJ exercise its authority to indicate provisional measures to preserve Ukraine's rights and limit the ongoing and irreparable harm to the Ukrainian people as well as Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
( With inputs from ANI )
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