Russia demands regions and neutrality, Ukraine calls for ceasefire: Details of Istanbul talks
Archive photo: Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul (Getty Images)
At yesterday's negotiations, the Russian delegation opened the dialogue with pressure and a list of its maximalist demands toward Ukraine. But the Ukrainian delegation managed to push back against the Russian pressure, sources familiar with the course and content of the negotiations told RBC-Ukraine.
The Russian delegation began the talk in an aggressive manner, immediately putting forward several of its maximalist demands. These included Ukraine’s adoption of a neutral status, Ukraine’s de facto renunciation of five regions (including territories not controlled by Russia), the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from these territories, the refusal of reparations, and the protection of Russian-speaking rights.
"Medinsky said outright: we demand that you withdraw your troops from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions, where we have only 2% of the territory left — and only then will we talk about a ceasefire and other issues. If you refuse — we can go further, to Kharkiv and to Sumy. In fact, we can fight with you forever, to the end," one of the sources said.
As sources said, the only speakers from the Russian delegation were mainly Medinsky and the head of the Russian General Staff’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), Kostyukov. Other participants on the Russian side remained silent. Medinsky brought stacks of papers, drafts, and documents to the talks, including some dating back to the Minsk negotiations.
Manipulations of the Russian delegation
During the negotiations, the Russian representatives repeatedly tried to appeal to the previous negotiation process and the conditions put forward in Istanbul in 2022. The Ukrainian representatives responded: Back then, it was one thing; now, the situation has changed. There were also the usual Russian history lectures.
"Medinsky began to make threats, mentioning Russia’s Peter I. Like: remember how Peter I fought with the Swedes for 20 years in the Great Northern War? We won it, at the time we only asked Charles XII for St. Petersburg, he refused, and in the end, we took even more, and Karelia," one of the sources recounts.
However, the Ukrainian representatives managed to cool down the Russian delegates.
"They were asked: what are your actual powers for these talks, because we have the authority. And we came to discuss three issues for now. After that, they slightly changed their tone," one of the interlocutors says.
One of the three matters raised by the Ukrainian side during the negotiations was a ceasefire. The primary obstacle here is that the Russians insist on first agreeing on all outlines and conditions of some kind of truce, and only after that — to cease fire. Ukraine, on the other hand, insists on a different order — ceasefire first.
Another meeting
Eventually, the Ukrainian and Russian delegations agreed to hold another technical meeting. Before this meeting, both the Ukrainian and Russian sides are to prepare their conditions for implementing the ceasefire.
Another point raised by the Ukrainian delegation was a humanitarian exchange. On this matter, there is cautious optimism — the delegations agreed to work on a prisoner exchange in a 1,000 for 1,000 format.
The third matter concerned preparations for a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the head of Russia, Vladimir Putin. This proposal is expected to be passed on to the Kremlin by the Russian representatives.
"This is only the beginning. So far, the impression is that the Russians are ready to end the war — but on their maximalist terms. Although it’s clear that even this would not be their final stop. It's very important to get the US involved in the process," one of the sources concluded.
Ukraine-Russia meeting in Istanbul
On May 16, negotiations took place in Istanbul between Ukraine and Russia, which, despite Kyiv's and its European and American partners' aspirations to reach a ceasefire, did not result in one, as Moscow still refuses to agree. But the parties agreed to a prisoner exchange in a 1,000 for 1,000 format.
The Ukrainian delegation confirmed that during the negotiations, Russia put forward unacceptable conditions. According to Western media, Moscow demanded the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from four regions in order to conclude a truce. Clash Report published five harsh demands from the Kremlin voiced by the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that during the negotiations, the Russian delegation presented a number of unacceptable demands that do not align with Ukraine's interests.
Why the negotiations in Istanbul did not bring the war closer to an end — read in a separate article by RBC-Ukraine.
