Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are in Istanbul for a new round of talks scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday to end the war. The former Soviet republic’s neutrality and the status of disputed areas to the east may be on the table, but with the Russian invasion largely stalled, Kyiv is unlikely to make concessions on territorial integrity.
Turkey, a NATO member, is hosting as it has close ties with both countries and its President, Recep Tayip Erdogan, is optimistic: “We will have a brief meeting with the delegations before they meet. I can say that we have been in touch with Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky on the phone to say that we are going in a positive direction.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was less optimistic on Monday, ruling out that now is the time for a meeting between the presidents of his country and the former Soviet republic: “The crisis in Ukraine, the conflict inside Ukraine, is brewing like this long, all these years, that a lot of problems have accumulated, so right now it would just be counterproductive to just sit down and exchange opinions on what you think and believe.”
On site, an elderly woman has arrived in Kyiv, relieved to have fled the shelling in the nearby town of Irpin. The mayor of the latter city has stated that Ukrainian forces regained control after driving out Russian soldiers. Irpin was one of the main battlefields near the capital.
The situation is very different in besieged Mariupol, where around 160,000 civilians are trapped without food, water or medicine. At least 5,000 people have died there.