WHAT'S THE ISSUE?

Seven weeks in, just where does the world stand with the conflict in Ukraine? And what hope if any is there now for peace? Peace talks are continuing, but, it seems, without much real momentum.

And as the accusations from the West of war crimes in the region only seem to intensify, the Kremlin continues to insist it's committed to easing tension in the region.

So is it possible we may be close to an endgame? And what exactly might that look like?

Here Stephen Cole speaks to Russian Federation Senator Konstantin Kosachev in Moscow to get a Russian take on just where we stand.

MEET THE EXPERT

Konstantin Kosachev is a politician and diplomat. He is a Senator at Russia's Federation Council (the Upper House of the Russian Parliament) and chairs its Foreign Affairs Committee.

Formerly, he worked as an interpreter/translator and diplomat in various Ministry of Foreign Affairs' institutions in the USSR and Russia, including serving as first secretary of the Russian embassy in Sweden. In 1999, he was elected a member of the State Duma.

From 2003 to 2011, Kosachev was Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs. From 2012 to 2014, was Head of the Federal Agency for Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Expatriates, and International Humanitarian Cooperation.

WHAT DOES KOSACHEV SAY?

"We have two tracks." Kosachev tells Stephen: "…the military track… and negotiations... We are somewhere in the middle of the process and somewhere in between the two tracks. And hopefully we have already overcome the lowest point in this development."

And he insists that Moscow remains committed to easing tensions in the region: "We want to see Ukraine as an independent, sovereign, neutral country, free from military alliance and which does not create any military threats towards its neighbors, Russia included."

Kosachev acknowledges the accusations from the West that Russia has committed war crimes, but dismisses them: "It is absolutely difficult for us to continue to talk to Mr Zelenskyy [when he's] creating that kind of provocation."

And he goes on to say that, in spite of the continued Western sanctions, Moscow doesn't feel isolated: "I know perfectly well that the United Nations consists of 193 countries. I know perfectly well that just 40 countries plan tough sanctions against Russia, 40 countries out of 193 is less than one fifth. It is not the international community. It's not the majority. Russia is definitely not alone. And Russia definitely will not give up because some 40 countries see the future of the world differently."

ALSO ON THE AGENDA:

- Alexander Stubb, former Prime Minister Finland, and one of the negotiators who helped secure a peace deal between Russia and Georgia in 2008 joins Stephen to explain why the road to peace in Ukraine will be far harder than it was in Georgia, and how this conflict could in fact lead to a brand new world order.

FIND MORE STORIES FROM THE AGENDA WITH STEPHEN COLE HERE