Turkey Hosts New Round of Negotiations Between Russia and Ukraine
A new round of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine began today, Wednesday, July 23, in Istanbul, in an attempt to find a diplomatic solution to the ongoing war that has been going on for over three years.
According to the Russian news agency "TASS", the Russian delegation left Moscow for Istanbul to participate in the talks, which the Kremlin described as "extremely difficult", focusing on issues related to the memorandums of understanding between the two sides.
The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, without any changes in its composition, while the Ukrainian side is led by former Defense Minister Rostyslav Omelyan, known for his diplomatic skills, along with representatives from intelligence, diplomacy, and the presidency.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed pessimism about the possibility of making significant progress, telling reporters: "There is no reason to hope for a breakthrough, but we intend to defend our interests".
He confirmed that the positions of the two parties are still "completely contradictory", noting that "a lot of work needs to be done" before any potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky, for his part, discussed his expectations from the negotiations, expressing his desire to discuss new exchange operations and the return of Ukrainian children who were forcibly taken to Russia, stating his readiness to prepare for a meeting with Putin to put an "actual end" to the war.
Moscow insists on its conditions, which include the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from four areas it annexed in September 2022, in addition to the Crimean Peninsula, and the cessation of Western military support and Kyiv's non-membership in NATO. In return, Ukraine rejects these demands and calls for a complete withdrawal of Russian forces, with Western security guarantees including the continued flow of weapons and the deployment of European forces.
Kyiv, in coordination with its European allies, continues to push for a 30-day ceasefire, which Russia rejects, as it enjoys battlefield superiority.
The negotiations are taking place under the pressure of US President Donald Trump, who gave Russia 50 days, starting from mid-July, to reach an agreement, or else face wide-ranging sanctions. Washington also announced its intention to resume supplying Ukraine with weapons under an agreement with NATO.
It is worth noting that the previous two rounds of talks, held in May and June of this year, did not achieve any breakthrough, despite agreeing to exchange hundreds of prisoners and return the bodies of soldiers.
