About four and a half weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, delegations from Ukraine and Russia met for a new round of negotiations in Istanbul.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed negotiators to the president’s office in Dolmabahce this morning. After that, the two delegations wanted to meet to talk. It is in the hands of both sides to end the “tragedy”, Erdogan said. All would benefit from an immediate ceasefire.
Negotiators from Ukraine and Russia have already met three times in the Belarusian border area. The conversations were then carried out via video link.
difficult conversations
Erdogan, who has good relations with Kiev and Moscow, was optimistic last night. However, negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations are proving extremely difficult.
Kiev wants the withdrawal of Russian troops and security guarantees. Moscow is demanding that Ukraine renounce NATO and recognize the breakaway areas of eastern Ukraine as separate states and the Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea, annexed in 2014, as part of Russia.