Russia Says Ukraine Will Return to Peace Talks from Weakened Position
Peskov Warns of Deteriorating Situation for Kyiv
ISTANBUL — Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine will “sooner or later” have to resume negotiations with Moscow. He warned that Kyiv will approach talks from a “much worse position.” His remarks came a day after Ukraine announced the suspension of peace talks aimed at ending the war that began in 2022.
Peskov stressed that Kyiv’s situation is worsening daily. He said Ukraine will eventually have to engage in dialogue with Russia.
Ukraine Suspends Negotiations
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya told The Times on Wednesday that Kyiv formally halted peace talks. He cited a lack of progress during earlier rounds held this year in Istanbul.
“Since the peace talks ended without significant progress, we have suspended them,” Kyslytsya said. He added that Ukraine has asked allies to help arrange a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Disputes Over Commitments and Proposals
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow made “specific proposals” during the negotiations, especially on prisoner exchanges. She claimed Ukraine has not fulfilled these commitments.
“No one expected ‘creative discussions.’ We made specific proposals, particularly for prisoner exchanges,” Zakharova said. She added that Ukraine completed “less than 30%” of obligations related to a planned swap of 1,200 people.
Zakharova described Kyiv’s suspension of talks as showing a “lack of desire for peace.”
Focus of the Istanbul Talks
The three rounds of renewed talks in Istanbul focused on prisoner and civilian exchanges. Both sides also shared memorandums outlining their positions on ending the war.
Russia wants a permanent solution to the conflict. Ukraine and Western nations prefer freezing the fighting along the current line of contact before continuing negotiations.
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