Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are ongoing as the two countries look to an end to the suffering caused by war.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has had major consequences for millions of people and, while peace is vital for people in Ukraine, talks of Ukrainian neutrality have become a difficult point.
As a result of Vladimir Putin's orders, the war in Ukraine has caused devastation in major cities like Kyiv, Mariupol and Kharkiv. Millions have already fled their homes, heading west towards uncertainty and seeking refuge in surrounding countries such as Poland and Romania.
According to the Financial Times, a 15-point plan to end the fighting has been drawn up but there are some sticking points.
So will peace talks bring about any successful changes and is Ukraine any closer to an agreement that will bring an end to the devastating shelling?
How are peace talks going?
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are continuing, with hopes that a deal may be reached soon.
The Financial Times is reporting that an end to the fighting could involve a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops, Ukraine agreeing to accept neutrality and a restricted armed force. This means that Ukraine would not join NATO.
It is also reported that the territories annexed by Russia in 2014 could be a major difficulty in talks between the two
Russia, though admitting that the invasion was not conducted as quickly as they would have liked, continue to insist that it is going to plan.
Putin said the operation is going "successfully, in strict accordance with pre-approved plans".
Have Russia and Ukraine made a neutrality plan?
The current understanding is that Ukraine is unlikely to become neutral, even as talks continue, as the country will see the recent invasion as obvious evidence that it should be able to protect itself from invading troops.
As long as Putin remains in power, the idea followed by him and members of the Kremlin that Ukraine should be part of Russia will not change. This, used partly as Putin's pretext for the invasion, means that Ukraine may always view the threat of another Russian invasion as a possibility.
Head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky proposed an idea that Ukraine would be allowed an army, but would not be a member of NATO, like Sweden and Austria.
Mykhailo Podolyak, senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, rejected the idea of Ukrainian neutrality on March 16, 2022.
He said: "Ukraine has never been a militaristic state that attacks or plans to attack its neighbours...That is why today Ukraine wants to have a really strong pool of allies with clearly defined security guarantees."
Neutrality would mean, according to reports, that foreign military bases or weapons would not be allowed into the country.
Before the invasion, Ukraine was a partner of NATO, meaning that it may have become a member state one day.
Russia was opposed to another NATO state being on its border and was also against Ukraine joining the European Union (EU).
While the idea of not joining NATO may still tempt Ukraine in a bid for peace, the idea of neutrality in the wake of destroyed Ukrainian cities may not seem a good idea.
