Putin and Zelensky: Paths to Peace or More Fighting?

Putin and Zelensky: Paths to Peace or More Fighting?

In a significant step towards a possible de-escalation of the Ukraine conflict, the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in three years took place in Istanbul. These discussions, which lasted less than two hours and excluded the press, were considered initial exchanges. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not rule out a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, depending on the progress that could be made during the negotiations. Peskov hinted that such a meeting could be possible if certain conditions are met by both sides. oe24 reports that…

The atmosphere of the talks was tense, with Russia appearing with a fully dressed delegation in suits, while Ukrainian representatives appeared in military uniform. President Putin made the comments in a conversation without preconditions and without ultimate peace demands. On the Ukrainian side, the Russian demands were described as “unacceptable.” Nevertheless, Russia expressed satisfaction with the meeting, which also included a historic prisoner exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war each, the largest of its kind since the start of the conflict. Tagesschau added that…

No ceasefire in sight

Although the desired outcome of a ceasefire has not yet been achieved, Russia is working on a list of conditions necessary for such an agreement to be exchanged in the coming negotiations. However, Peskov noted that there have been no contacts between Moscow and Washington since the talks. Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian invasion with Western support for more than three years, with international diplomatic efforts continuing in the background. A context report from bpb suggests that...

The negotiations come at a time when Ukraine has presented a ten-point peace plan that, among other things, calls for a return to 1991 territorial borders and the immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops. The irreconcilable positions between the two countries had already become clear in previous rounds of negotiations. One goal of a future agreement is to create security guarantees for Ukraine and to anchor the restoration of its territorial integrity in accordance with the principles of international law. At the most recent summit it was emphasized that...

Internationally, support for Ukraine remains strong, with commitments from countries such as the US and EU member states to continue to provide financial and military support to Ukrainian resistance against Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron and other leaders have been in contact with Zelensky and have been part of a network of diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a basis for lasting peace in the region.