In Tuesday’s talks, Ukraine has proposed declaring itself a non-aligned state against security guarantees. Both sides will report on progress in the Istanbul talks.
29.3. 19:35 • Updated March 29. 19:44
Ukraine and Russia are looking for a solution to the ceasefire following talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on Tuesday. Representatives of the countries negotiated face to face after a break of more than two weeks.
Russia said it plans to “radically” reduce its military activity near the cities of Kiev and Chernivtsi in Ukraine. The Russian Deputy Minister of Defense said Aleksandr Fomin. According to him, the purpose of this is to increase mutual trust and create suitable conditions for future negotiations and reaching a peace agreement.
According to Fomin, the day’s negotiations with Ukraine had progressed on Ukraine’s neutral status.
Ukrainian negotiators, meanwhile, said on Tuesday they are demanding international security guarantees for their country, and in addition, Ukraine is offering to adopt a neutral status in the exchange of security guarantees. In other words, Ukraine would not form a military alliance or set up foreign bases in foreign countries.
The guarantees required by Ukraine would work in the same way for NATO guaranteeing countries as Article 5 of NATO on common defense. Ukraine’s performers would be the United States, Britain, Turkey, France, Germany, Poland, Israel and China.
Ukraine’s proposal also includes a 15-year consultation period on Crimea. The proposal would only come into force if a total ceasefire is reached.
In addition, Ukraine says it is not ready to compromise on the pursuit of EU membership. Ukraine wants the guaranteeing countries to support their path to EU membership.
Negotiations “the most significant step forward” during the war
Russian negotiators described the talks as relevant on Tuesday.
Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinski noted that Ukraine’s proposals for, inter alia, neutrality will be forwarded to the President To Vladimir Putinwhich gives an answer to them.
The Turkish Foreign Minister hosted the talks on Tuesday Mavlüt Cavusoglu incense was the “most significant” step forward in the war. According to Cavusoglu, negotiations will not continue on Wednesday.
Russia launched its offensive war in Ukraine on 24 February. However, its efforts for a rapid change of power in Kiev quickly proved to be wishful thinking, and Russia has not been able to conquer any of Ukraine’s major cities. The siege of Kiev, the capital, has not succeeded, and Ukraine has also been able to counter-attack around Kiev.
Indeed, Russia has been interpreted as shifting the focus of the war to the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine, where it has a better chance of taking control of the territories.
Ukrainian negotiators say progress with Russia in Istanbul on Tuesday was such that a meeting of the countries’ presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin is possible.
The United States and Britain are skeptical about the outcome of the talks
The United States remains skeptical that Russia will be in serious negotiations with Ukraine. United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the news agency AFP says he has not seen anything to suggest the actual outcome of the negotiation process.
Britain also said it was skeptical of Russia’s speeches and said it would judge Russia “by its deeds, not its words.”
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