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Observer
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Istanbul talks lay bare Kyiv-Moscow chasm
The first high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early months of Moscow's 2022 war showed they are far from agreement on steps needed for a ceasefire, even though they promised a major swap of prisoners of war. A window for more diplomacy remains ajar, however, after the sworn enemies agreed in principle to hold further talks, the foreign minister of host country Türkiye said, a crucial point for US President Donald Trump, who wants a rapid peace. The negotiators' promises to release a thousand prisoners of war, to meet again for talks and to present their vision for a ceasefire were "substantial steps", said Peter Slezkine, a senior fellow and director of the Russia programme at the Stimson Center. "I do think that they are a very hopeful sign, because the two sides coming into direct contact is an important development," he said. Ukraine, the United States and other Western countries have called for a 30-day ceasefire without preconditions to allow for peace talks. Russia, which controls almost a fifth of Ukraine, has shown little appetite for concessions, repeating maximalist demands such as Ukraine withdrawing from and recognising Russian control over four Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin now unilaterally claims as its own but does not fully control. The measured tones of statements by both sides that followed the talks did little to paper over the chasm between them. A Ukrainian diplomatic source said that Russia made demands at the talks that were "detached from reality and go far beyond anything that was previously discussed." The source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the talks, said they included ultimatums for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from some of its own territory and "other nonstarters and non-constructive conditions." The Kremlin's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky suggested after the negotiations that Russia could fight on for as long as it needed to achieve its aims. Invoking tsarist military victories in a 21-year war against Sweden in the 18th century, he said Kyiv was merely deepening its own demise by resisting Russia's peace demands. A woman holds a portrait at a makeshift memorial for the fallen Ukrainian and foreign fighters at Independence Square in Kyiv. - AFP The closest things to a blueprint for a peace deal that have yet to emerge are proposals circulated by the United States and counter-proposals suggested by Europe and Ukraine at talks last month, which Reuters has obtained. On Saturday, a senior Ukrainian government source said Russia's latest demands in Istanbul included Kyiv renouncing its desire for reparations, international recognition of five parts of Ukraine as Russian and that Ukraine becomes a neutral state. The demands went further than either the US or Ukrainian and European proposals. One of the senior Ukrainian officials who took part in the abortive series of 2022 talks with Russia that failed to stop the all-out war said that the outcome of the renewed engagement in Istanbul had panned out entirely as expected. "Every journey begins with a single step. This is the beginning of the journey. Demands are always exaggerated at the start of any negotiations. That's classic," the source said. The fragile outcome of the talks puts the ball once again in Trump's court. He abruptly changed tack last Thursday, a day before the negotiations, saying he needed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for there to be a breakthrough. His remark put paid - for now - to Europe's hopes of pushing Washington to impose a fresh blast of sanctions on Russia. If that happened, it would be a milestone moment in Trump's fledgling presidency, during which he has so far shown sympathies towards Russia and torn up the pro-Ukraine policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Just last weekend, the leaders of four major European powers travelled to Kyiv, threatening Russia with more sanctions if it did not agree to a 30-day ceasefire from May 12, a position they said the United States supported. When Putin then suggested talks instead of a ceasefire, Trump told Zelensky in a social media post to immediately agree and made no mention of looming Russia sanctions, despite signalling for weeks that he is frustrated with what he has said could be foot-dragging by Putin. Zelensky, anxious not to alienate Trump, proposed direct talks with Putin. The Kremlin leader did not respond until the eleventh hour, when he named a delegation excluding not only himself but also any of his full-fledged ministers. "You don't send undertakers to a wedding," Vladimir Pastukhov, a Russian political analyst, said of Medinsky's nomination as delegation head, alluding to his role on the Russian delegation in the failed 2022 talks. After the renewed negotiations in Istanbul, the leaders of the four European powers plus Zelensky were again on the phone with Trump to discuss how the peace talks went. And publicly the Ukrainian team called again for direct talks between Zelensky and Putin, arguing that only the Russian leader has the mandate to make decisions on many of the matters at hand. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he thought he could make "a deal" with Putin but that he would impose sanctions on Russia if "we're not going to make a deal."
New Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Istanbul talks lay bare Kyiv-Moscow chasm
THE first high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early months of Moscow's 2022 invasion showed they are far from agreement on steps needed for a ceasefire, even though they promised a major swap of prisoners of war. A window for more diplomacy remains ajar, however, after the sworn enemies agreed in principle to hold further talks, the foreign minister of host country Turkiye said, a crucial point for United States President Donald Trump, who wants a rapid peace. The negotiators' promises to release a thousand prisoners of war, to meet again for talks and to present their vision for a ceasefire were "substantial steps", said Peter Slezkine, a senior fellow and director of the Russia programme at Stimson Centre. "I do think that they are a very hopeful sign, because the two sides coming into direct contact is an important development," he said. Ukraine, the US and other Western countries have called for a 30-day ceasefire without preconditions to allow for peace talks. Russia, which controls almost a fifth of Ukraine, has shown little appetite for concessions, repeating demands such as Ukraine withdrawing from and recognising Russian control over four Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin now claims as its own but does not fully control. The measured tones of statements by both sides that followed the talks did little to paper over the chasm between them. A Ukrainian diplomatic source told Reuters that Russia made demands at the talks that were "detached from reality and go far beyond anything that was previously discussed". The Kremlin's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, suggested after the negotiations that Russia could fight on for as long as it needed to achieve its aims. Invoking tsarist military victories in a 21-year war against Sweden in the 18th century, he said Kyiv was merely deepening its own demise by resisting Russia's peace demands. The closest things to a blueprint for a peace deal that have yet to emerge are proposals circulated by the US and counterproposals by Europe and Ukraine at talks last month, which Reuters has obtained. On Saturday, a senior Ukrainian government source said Russia's latest demands in Istanbul included Kyiv renouncing its desire for reparations, international recognition of five parts of Ukraine as Russian and that Ukraine becomes a neutral state. The demands went further than either the US or Ukrainian and European proposals. One of the senior Ukrainian officials who took part in the abortive series of 2022 talks with Russia that failed to stop the war told Reuters that the engagement in Istanbul had panned out as expected. "This is the beginning of the journey. Demands are always exaggerated at the start of any negotiations. That's classic," the source said. The fragile outcome of the talks puts the ball once again in Trump's court. He abruptly changed tack on Thursday, a day before the negotiations, saying he needed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for there to be a breakthrough. His remark put paid — for now — to Europe's hopes of pushing Washington to impose a fresh blast of sanctions on Russia. If that happened, it would be a milestone moment in Trump's fledgling presidency, during which he has so far shown sympathies towards Russia and torn up the pro-Ukraine policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Just last weekend, the leaders of four major European powers travelled to Kyiv, threatening Russia with more sanctions if it did not agree to a 30-day ceasefire from May 12, a position they said the US supported. When Putin then suggested talks instead of a ceasefire, Trump told Zelenskyy in a social media post to immediately agree and made no mention of looming Russia sanctions, despite signalling for weeks that he is frustrated with what he has said could be foot-dragging by Putin. Zelenskyy, anxious not to alienate Trump, proposed direct talks with Putin. The Kremlin leader did not respond until the eleventh hour, when he named a delegation excluding not only himself but also any of his full-fledged ministers. "You don't send undertakers to a wedding," Vladimir Pastukhov, a Russian political analyst, said of Medinsky's nomination as delegation head, alluding to his role on the Russian delegation in the failed 2022 talks.
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First Post
17-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
A step forward or strategic ploy? Why Russia-Ukraine talks offer little real hope for a ceasefire
The first high level talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early months of Moscow's 2022 attack showed they are far from agreement on steps needed for a ceasefire, even though they promised a major swap of prisoners of war. read more The first high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early stages of Moscow's 2022 attack have concluded with a stark reminder of the immense gulf separating the two nations, offering scant optimism for an imminent ceasefire. While a significant exchange of prisoners of war was promised, the talks revealed a profound lack of common ground on the fundamental steps required to halt the ongoing conflict. Despite the palpable distance in their positions, a sliver of diplomatic possibility remains. Turkey, the host nation said that both Russia and Ukraine had agreed in principle to hold further negotiations. The statement offers a glimmer of hope for US President Donald Trump, who has called for a swift peace agreement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Peter Slezkine, senior fellow and director of the Russia program at the Stimson Center, described the talks as 'substantial steps.' He said, 'I do think that they are a very hopeful sign, because the two sides coming into direct contact is an important development.' However, the initial optimism generated by the meeting quickly faded upon closer examination of the stated positions. Ukraine, backed by the United States and other Western allies, has consistently called for a 30-day ceasefire without any preconditions to facilitate meaningful peace negotiations. In stark contrast, Russia, which currently occupies nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory, displayed minimal inclination towards compromise. Moscow reiterated its maximalist demands, insisting on Ukraine's withdrawal from and recognition of Russia's claim over four Ukrainian regions – territories the Kremlin unilaterally annexed but does not fully control. The carefully worded statements released by both sides following the Istanbul talks did little to conceal the deep chasm that persists between them. A Ukrainian diplomatic source, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, revealed that Russia presented demands that were 'detached from reality and go far beyond anything that was previously discussed.' These reportedly included ultimatums for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from sovereign Ukrainian land, alongside 'other nonstarters and non-constructive conditions.' Adding a chilling perspective, the Kremlin's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, suggested that Russia was prepared to continue its military campaign for as long as necessary to achieve its objectives. Drawing a historical parallel to Russia's protracted 18th-century war against Sweden, he argued that Kyiv's resistance to Russia's 'peace demands' was only hastening its own demise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A senior Ukrainian government official with direct knowledge of the abortive 2022 peace talks with Russia expressed little surprise at the outcome in Istanbul, telling Reuters that it unfolded 'entirely as expected.' The source offered a more pragmatic, if less hopeful, view: ''Every journey begins with a single step. This is the beginning of the journey. Demands are always exaggerated at the start of any negotiations. That's classic.'' The fragile outcome places renewed emphasis on President Trump's role. Just before the talks, Trump abruptly shifted stance, saying he needed a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to achieve a breakthrough. This move temporarily undercut European efforts to pressure Washington into imposing tougher sanctions on Russia. Earlier in the week, leaders of four major European powers had visited Kyiv, warning Russia of fresh sanctions if it failed to agree to a 30-day ceasefire by May 12, a position supported by the US However, when Putin proposed talks instead of a ceasefire, Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on social media to accept the proposal immediately, without mentioning impending sanctions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zelenskyy, wary of alienating the influential US President, publicly supported direct talks with Putin. The Kremlin's response was to dispatch a delegation for the Istanbul talks that conspicuously excluded Putin himself, as well as any high-ranking ministers. Russian political analyst Vladimir Pastukhov wryly commented on the appointment of Medinsky, a figure from the failed 2022 talks, as delegation head, saying, 'You don't send undertakers to a wedding.' After the Istanbul talks, Trump and the leaders of the four European powers spoke again with Zelenskyy to discuss the way forward. Publicly, the Ukrainian team renewed calls for direct negotiations between Zelenskyy and Putin, arguing only the Russian president has the authority to resolve key issues. Speaking to Fox News, Trump expressed optimism about reaching an agreement but added that he would impose sanctions on Russia if no deal could be made. While the talks represent a diplomatic step forward, the entrenched positions and expansive Russian demands suggest that a genuine ceasefire remains elusive for now, raising questions over whether the negotiations mark the beginning of peace or merely a strategic ploy in a protracted conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The Star
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Analysis-Istanbul peace talks laid bare chasm between Ukraine and Russia
ISTANBUL (Reuters) -The first high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early months of Moscow's 2022 invasion showed they are far from agreement on steps needed for a ceasefire, even though they promised a major swap of prisoners of war. A window for more diplomacy remains ajar, however, after the sworn enemies agreed in principle to hold further talks, the foreign minister of host country Turkey said, a crucial point for U.S. President Donald Trump, who wants a rapid peace. The negotiators' promises to release a thousand prisoners of war, to meet again for talks and to present their vision for a ceasefire were "substantial steps", said Peter Slezkine, a senior fellow and director of the Russia program at the Stimson Center. "I do think that they are a very hopeful sign, because the two sides coming into direct contact is an important development," he said. Ukraine, the United States and other Western countries have called for a 30-day ceasefire without preconditions to allow for peace talks. Russia, which controls almost a fifth of Ukraine, has shown little appetite for concessions, repeating maximalist demands such as Ukraine withdrawing from and recognising Russian control over four Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin now unilaterally claims as its own but does not fully control. The measured tones of statements by both sides that followed the talks did little to paper over the chasm between them. A Ukrainian diplomatic source told Reuters that Russia made demands at the talks that were "detached from reality and go far beyond anything that was previously discussed." The source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the talks, said they included ultimatums for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from some of its own territory and "other nonstarters and non-constructive conditions." The Kremlin's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky suggested after the negotiations that Russia could fight on for as long as it needed to achieve its aims. Invoking tsarist military victories in a 21-year war against Sweden in the 18th century, he said Kyiv was merely deepening its own demise by resisting Russia's peace demands. 'BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY' The closest things to a blueprint for a peace deal that have yet to emerge are proposals circulated by the United States and counterproposals suggested by Europe and Ukraine at talks last month, which Reuters has obtained. On Saturday, a senior Ukrainian government source said Russia's latest demands in Istanbul included Kyiv renouncing its desire for reparations, international recognition of five parts of Ukraine as Russian and that Ukraine becomes a neutral state. The demands went further than either the U.S. or Ukrainian and European proposals. One of the senior Ukrainian officials who took part in the abortive series of 2022 talks with Russia that failed to stop the all-out war told Reuters that the outcome of the renewed engagement in Istanbul had panned out entirely as expected. "Every journey begins with a single step. This is the beginning of the journey. Demands are always exaggerated at the start of any negotiations. That's classic," the source said. SETBACK FOR EUROPEAN SANCTIONS PUSH The fragile outcome of the talks puts the ball once again in Trump's court. He abruptly changed tack on Thursday, a day before the negotiations, saying he needed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for there to be a breakthrough. His remark put paid - for now - to Europe's hopes of pushing Washington to impose a fresh blast of sanctions on Russia. If that happened, it would be a milestone moment in Trump's fledgling presidency, during which he has so far shown sympathies towards Russia and torn up the pro-Ukraine policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Just last weekend, the leaders of four major European powers travelled to Kyiv, threatening Russia with more sanctions if it did not agree to a 30-day ceasefire from May 12, a position they said the United States supported. When Putin then suggested talks instead of a ceasefire, Trump told Zelenskiy in a social media post to immediately agree and made no mention of looming Russia sanctions, despite signalling for weeks that he is frustrated with what he has said could be foot-dragging by Putin. Zelenskiy, anxious not to alienate Trump, proposed direct talks with Putin. The Kremlin leader did not respond until the eleventh hour, when he named a delegation excluding not only himself but also any of his full-fledged ministers. "You don't send undertakers to a wedding," Vladimir Pastukhov, a Russian political analyst, said of Medinsky's nomination as delegation head, alluding to his role on the Russian delegation in the failed 2022 talks. After the renewed negotiations in Istanbul, the leaders of the four European powers plus Zelenskiy were again on the phone with Trump to discuss how the peace talks went. And publicly the Ukrainian team called again for direct talks between Zelenskiy and Putin, arguing that only the Russian leader has the mandate to make decisions on many of the matters at hand. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he thought he could make "a deal" with Putin but that he would impose sanctions on Russia if "we're not going to make a deal." (Additional reporting by Jane Ross, Vladimir Soldaktin, Can Sezer and Pavel Polityuk; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
