Ukraine reveals timeline for Russia's return to negotiating table
Photo: Servant of the People parliamentary faction leader Davyd Arakhamia (Getty Images)
Davyd Arakhamia believes Russia could return to negotiations on ending the war as early as the beginning of October. According to him, a key factor in this could be the elections to the Russian State Duma, scheduled to take place in September, reports Interfax-Ukraine.
The lawmaker and member of the negotiating team said that the negotiations currently lack “substantive content.” At the same time, he believes the situation could change following the Russian State Duma elections, which are scheduled for September 18–20.
“I am almost certain that they will return in early October, after the State Duma elections,” the parliamentary faction leader said during the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) meeting in Kyiv, organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.
According to Arakhamia, creating the right conditions for systematic work is essential for a full-fledged negotiation process.
He proposed establishing a kind of tunnel to ensure regular meetings with the consistent participation of the same representatives from both sides.
"The only way to build such a 'tunnel' is to establish a systematic, regular negotiation process in a single location, involving the same people meeting on a regular basis," Arakhamia noted.
He acknowledged that, initially, such a format might disappoint those who suffer from Russian attacks on a daily basis. However, he argued that a consistent process is the necessary foundation for achieving tangible results.
Context of the statement
Earlier, Arakhamia pointed out that, unlike in democratic Ukraine, decision-making in Russia depends entirely on one person - Vladimir Putin. Currently, the Russian leader is surrounded exclusively by supporters of the war.
The efforts of Witkoff and Kushner could lead to an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia this winter. The primary argument from the American side was that Russia had failed to achieve its objectives during previous winters.
