Media reveal Russia’s unacceptable demands at Istanbul talks
Photo: The media learned what demands Russia made of Ukraine in Istanbul (rosmedia)
Russia’s demands during negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul were deemed unacceptable and went beyond what had previously been discussed, according to Reuters and Sky News.
Reuters, referencing a Ukrainian diplomatic source, reported that Russia’s demands in Istanbul were "unrealistic and go far beyond anything previously discussed."
Sky News, also citing a Ukrainian source, said the Russian demands were unacceptable and unrealistic. According to the outlet’s source, some of the demands included the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from certain territories as a precondition for a ceasefire. However, the report did not specify which territories Russia was referring to.
The source added that there were other "non-starters" as well.
Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul
Today, May 16, Ukraine and Russia held their first negotiations in Istanbul in three years. The talks lasted just over an hour and, as Western media reports, did not lead to any significant progress.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin sent a low-level delegation to Istanbul, led by Vladimir Medinsky. Ukraine, meanwhile, was represented by a delegation headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Before the talks, both Ukraine and European leaders criticized the composition of the Russian delegation. President Zelenskyy urged the international community to respond to Putin’s choice of delegates, stressing that none of the Russian representatives had any real decision-making power.
Ahead of the talks with the Russians, the Ukrainian team held a coordination meeting in Istanbul with advisors from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Senior Ukrainian officials also held a trilateral meeting with the US and Türkiye.
Read more about the talks in Istanbul in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
