Moscow insults Selenskyj: Is a ceasefire still possible?

Moscow insults Selenskyj: Is a ceasefire still possible?

The tensions between Russia and Ukraine have reached a new highlight when the Kremlin described the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj as "clown" and "failure". This statement was made by Maria Sacharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who also questioned Selenskyj's upbringing and described his criticism of the Russian delegation in Istanbul. Selenskyj had previously criticized the negotiating delegation from Russia as a "appearance" delegation and made the demand that Vladimir Putin should personally take part in the talks. Sergei Lawrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, rejected this claim as "pathetic".

The negotiations in which delegations from Russia and Ukraine have been taking part in Istanbul have taken place in Istanbul since Thursday afternoon. While the Russian delegation arrived in Turkey in the morning and is led by Vladimir Medinsky, a consultant Putin and ex-culture minister, Putin himself stays away from the event. According to reports from the Kremlin, Putin's absence was announced on the eve of the negotiations, which further dampens the prospects for a quick ceasefire. His delegation consists of two vice -directors and a representative of the Russian general staff, which is considered a sign of uncertainty by security experts.

hope for progress?

Peace researcher Ursula Schröder evaluates the conversations in Istanbul with mixed feelings. She admits that they may not be able to make a breakthrough, but also sees the chance that they can help Ukraine. Christoph Heusgen, an expert in security policy, on the other hand, expresses concerns about Russia's willingness to negotiate. He describes the delegation as civil servants in the second row, which implies that Putin is not ready to seriously negotiate peace.

Selenskyj, on the other hand, is open to every form of negotiation with Russia and plans to personally meet Putin. This initiative is seen as a point victory for Selenskyj because it underlines its willingness to diplomacy. In addition, the meeting in Istanbul aims to take into account the demands for an immediate 30-day ceasefire.

international reactions

President Donald Trump has sought a quick end to the conflicts to reduce the commitment of the United States. Brazil's President Lula also called Putin for talks. In view of the current developments, Putin is increasingly perceived as a prevention in the eyes of western states, while hopes for a quick ceasefire decrease.

Overall, the events show that despite the talks in Istanbul, the gap remains between the two nations and the question of whether these negotiations can actually lead to a solution to the conflict is still unclear. OE24 reports on the incidents, while SWR explains the opinion of experts on the importance of these negotiations. Further information can be found on SPIEGEL