they are inching forward but it really is a question of inching. for getting some of the parameters that might ultimatel be part of any deal. ukrainian government seems to b willing two not to join nato. that is what vladimir putin sai was one of his key objective to prevent ukraine for becoming a member of nato so they might be willing two to that. in return they would want an absolutely rocksolid security guarantees that ukraine with that be in beta that would be protected from the west if it wasn t baited again, so those are difficult guarantees to wor out and then the big question b on the cease-fire itself, the russians stopping what they re doing. it is how you talk about territory. obviously the russians have taken some territory here. are they allowed to keep that?