Ukraine And Russia Hold First Direct Peace Talks In Three Years

Direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia commenced on Friday in Istanbul, marking the first discussions between the two nations in over three years.

Naijaonpoint, however, gathered that expectations remain low for a breakthrough in ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

Kyiv is pushing for an “unconditional ceasefire” to end the violence, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions, and devastated large parts of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasised that peace is vital but criticised Moscow for not showing a genuine willingness to negotiate.

On the other hand, Moscow’s stance is focused on addressing the “root causes” of the conflict and revisiting the failed 2022 negotiations, where Russia made sweeping territorial and political demands of Ukraine.

The talks, held at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, were officially opened by Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, at 1:35 pm local time (1035 GMT).

Fidan sat at the head of a table, with Turkish, Russian, and Ukrainian flags in the background. The two delegations were seated across from each other in the meeting room, while hundreds of journalists gathered outside.

The day before the meeting, both sides exchanged harsh words. Ukrainian President, Zelensky accused Moscow of not being “serious” about the peace process, stating that Russia had failed to send a credible delegation.

Russian President, Vladimir Putin also declined to attend, sending a second-level delegation instead, which further fueled skepticism about Moscow’s intentions.

Despite the tensions, the mere fact that the talks were taking place was seen as a positive step, with both Ukraine and Russia under intense pressure from Washington to engage in dialogue.

Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov highlighted the importance of future talks between President Putin and US President Donald Trump in resolving the conflict. Peskov described the meeting as “extremely important” for the Ukrainian settlement.

Ukraine’s top official, Andriy Yermak, reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to peace, stating, “Ukraine is ready for peace and a long-term, unconditional ceasefire.”

He emphasised that the focus of Ukraine’s delegation was to achieve a ceasefire, which remains their top priority.

Before the Istanbul talks, Ukrainian officials met with key international figures, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg, and the national security advisors of Britain, France, and Germany. The talks also centred around the possibility of a meeting between Presidents Putin and Zelensky.

However, a Ukrainian diplomatic source who spoke with AFP claimed that Moscow had blocked US participation in the peace talks, further complicating the peace process.

Russia’s delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, who previously headed the failed 2022 talks with Ukraine. Medinsky, a former cultural minister, is not regarded as a top decision-maker within the Kremlin, leading many to question the seriousness of Russia’s commitment to the talks.

Despite the lack of progress, Medinsky insisted that the Russian delegation had a mandate from President Putin to explore solutions and find points of contact with Ukraine.

Moscow reiterated that it would not discuss giving up any of the territories its forces currently occupy, including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, is from Crimea, adding a layer of complexity to the negotiations.

Ahead of the peace talks, Russia continued its military operations. Ukrainian officials reported that at least two people were killed in the hours leading up to the meeting. This escalation in violence underscored the challenge of achieving a lasting ceasefire.

European leaders quickly criticized President Putin for skipping the talks. EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, charged that Russia was “clearly not working for peace with Ukraine.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also criticised Putin’s decision, calling it a “big mistake” to send a lower-ranking delegation to Istanbul.