Representatives of Ukraine will not be present at the talks with Russia in Gomel, Ukrainian president's press secretary Serhiy Nikiforov has said.

"We heard statements that the Russian delegation arrived in Gomel for negotiations. I must say that there will be no representatives of Ukraine there. Such a format was indeed discussed. But at the last moment, the Russian negotiators demanded that the Ukrainian army must first lay down their arms. It was proposed to follow the "Russian warship." Therefore, their today's statements and decisions defiantly go to Gomel, despite everything, are just informational pressure and an attempt to shift the responsibility for the disruption to Ukraine," he said on his Facebook page.

Nikiforov said that Ukraine is ready for negotiations, but is not ready to listen to any preconditions. This also applies to the venue.

"We cannot go to Belarus, from whose territory planes and missiles are sent to our cities. Also, in matters of the security of our delegation, we would have to rely on the guarantees of the host country. Given the previous events, such guarantees cost very little," the press secretary of the head of state said.

According to him, the position of Ukraine remains unchanged.

"We are ready to meet in any neutral place: Baku, Istanbul, Warsaw, Vienna... Continue on your own. We continue to invite Russia to sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible and save the lives of its military. Every day of delay will cost the Russian Federation irreparable human and economic losses," he said.