With international support, the Ukrainian leadership is continuing its efforts to rescue the soldiers at the besieged Azovstal Steel Works.

“We have opened a new round of negotiations”, - said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk on Thursday evening, according to Ukrajinska Pravda.

Kyiv has given the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross the mandate to hold talks with the Russian side, and Turkey is now involved as a mediator.

“We want to sign an agreement on evacuation from Azovstal, we are ready to sign it. The aim is an evacuation in several stages – the first priority is the rescue of 38 seriously wounded defenders from Azovstal. If this works, then we move on”, - Vereshchuk said.

Among other things, Ukraine is ready to exchange Russian prisoners of war for the wounded from Azovstal. The last Ukrainian defenders have holed up in the sprawling steelworks in the port city. Russia has so far refused any evacuation and is demanding surrender from the Ukrainians at the plant. According to Ukrajinska Pravda, Turkey suggested that the Russian military evacuate all Ukrainian soldiers from Azovstal by sea. They were then to remain in Turkey until the end of the war.