Russia, Ukraine say their peace talks on hold

MOSCOW/KIEV, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian and Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday that negotiations on a solution to the current crisis have been suspended as the process is mired in stalemate.

"The talks are not going on. Ukraine has actually withdrawn from the negotiation process," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told reporters.

Russia has received no response from Ukraine to its draft treaty, he added.

"Today the negotiation process was suspended. It was suspended because there are no significant changes or upheavals after the Istanbul communique," Mykhailo Podolyak, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, was quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying.

Nevertheless, he voiced the belief that the peace talks will be resumed, emphasizing that "every war ends at the negotiating table."

Ukrainian and Russian negotiators held the latest round of face-to-face peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey on March 29.