Russia stalls ceasefire talks, tensions escalate
However, many indicators suggest that a breakthrough in the ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine will not occur anytime soon. This is not only because the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, sent a low-level delegation to Istanbul for negotiations with the Ukrainians, but also due to Moscow's demands.
Over the weekend, it might have seemed that progress in the Ukraine conflict was underway. In response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for a ceasefire, Russian leader Vladimir Putin invited talks in Istanbul. He did not attend himself, unlike the head of the country invaded by the Russians.
The talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul ended on Friday after less than two hours, reported the Reuters agency, citing sources. Some Russian media, such as the RIA Novosti agency, reported that a break was announced during the talks. Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne noted that the delegations remain in the building where the talks were held.
Zelensky earlier stated that only discussions with Putin make sense because only he will decide on a ceasefire or peace. He expressed strong criticism of the former KGB agent.
"This week, we had a real chance to take important steps toward ending this war, if only Putin had not been afraid to come to Turkey. I was in Ankara yesterday and was ready for a direct meeting with Putin, whether in Ankara or in Istanbul, and not just for a meeting, but to resolve all the important issues. But he didn't agree to anything," said Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday during the plenary session of the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana.
Not only the low rank of the Russian delegation (comprised mostly of deputy minister-level officials) diminished the chances for an agreement. The Reuters agency unofficially determined that the demand put forward by Putin's envoys also contributed to this.
The demands presented on Friday by the Russian delegation to the Ukrainian side in Istanbul are unrealistic and exceed everything discussed so far, conveyed a source in Ukrainian diplomacy, quoted by the Reuters agency.
It was also reported that the Russian delegation demands Ukraine withdraw its armed forces from a part of its own territory to achieve a ceasefire.
Criticism from NATO and the USA
"You can also see that the Russian delegation that came to Istanbul is of a very low level. None of them are people who actually make decisions in Russia. Still, I sent a team to Istanbul, led by Ukraine's defense minister, at least to see if those Russians can actually decide anything," urged the President of Ukraine on Friday.
Similar criticism was echoed by senior NATO and U.S. officials. Speaking in Tirana, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that all the pressure is now on Putin, who finds himself in a difficult position. He pointed out that, unlike Russia, Ukraine sent a delegation to Turkey with full authorization to negotiate a ceasefire.
"Well, we are not going to – we haven’t been chasing this around the world anymore. I mean, that’s already happened. We came because we were told that there – I was going to be here anyways, obviously. But we came because we were told that there might be a direct engagement between the Russians and the Ukrainians; that was originally the plan," said Rubio.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that it is essential to unite in order to secure the desperately needed ceasefire for Ukraine, and, if necessary, to impose sanctions on Russia.
