Russia and Ukraine may soon initiate peace talks in Turkey, but confusion looms over the details regarding attendance and timing. There is newfound momentum for diplomatic efforts. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has continued to take steps to signal his willingness to negotiate for a ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been making noises about wanting to engage in direct talks. It remains uncertain as to who will be sitting at those discussion tables.
The first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since the conflict started in February 2022 were reported to have occurred over the weekend. President Putin himself called for negotiations this weekend, perhaps a sign that Russia is willing to re-engage diplomatically. He declared that he would not be attending these negotiations himself. Rather, the opposite happened. Zelensky reiterated his desire to be in Turkey, demanding one-on-one talks with Putin only.
“We all know who makes decisions in Russia,” Zelensky stated, underscoring the importance of speaking directly with the Russian leader. He lamented that without a successful 30-day unconditional ceasefire, there would simply be new sanctions imposed on Russia.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared that negotiations would begin at 10 a.m. local time. In an immediate, combative response, Ukraine rejected the Ukrainian announcement of withdrawal as “fake news.” Ukrainian Spokesperson Serhiy Nykyforov refuted the TASS news agency report, labeling the story as “just another Russian fake news.” Andriy Kovalenko, a sustainability advisor to the government of Ukraine, vociferously disagreed. He told NPR, “This is incorrect. No such meeting has been arranged.”
Zelensky’s skepticism goes to the entire legitimacy of the talks. He conveyed uncertainty about the official representation of the Russian delegation: “We don’t yet know the official level of Russians, but from what we see, it looks phony.”
As the negotiations drew near, tempers flared. As both countries traded blame with retaliatory drone attacks overnight, China stepped in with a plea for peace. With each side’s hostilities escalating, the chances of a positive outcome from additional talks in Istanbul seem increasingly dim.
The length of any future discussions will be determined largely by how much headway is achieved during negotiations. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu previously facilitated peace discussions between Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the Dolmabahce Presidential Office in Istanbul back in March 2022.
In this context U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s arrival in Antalya, Turkey on Wednesday should be viewed. His presence serves to underscore the increasingly global interest in the discussions that lie ahead.
