Insight Bureau: Ukrainian and Russian negotiators concluded face-to-face peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey on Tuesday with a number of developments reported. The Ukrainian side said that there have been enough developments to have a meeting between the presidents of the two countries.
Russia said the talks were “constructive,” raising hopes that there could be progress toward ending the war, as per reports.
However, Russian top negotiator Medinsky said a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy is possible only if a deal has been approved by the foreign ministries of both countries.
Russia said it will significantly reduce military activity in Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, after conflict talks between the two sides came to an end in Istanbul on Tuesday. “We are taking [these] two steps to de-escalate the conflict,” said Medinsky after the meeting.
Following the talks, Ukrainian negotiators told reporters that Kyiv would agree to a neutral status if a security guarantee system is put in place. They said, under the new system, Israel, Poland, Canada and Turkey could be among Ukraine’s security guarantors.
The neutral status would include not hosting any foreign military bases on Ukrainian territory.
There needs to be full peace across Ukraine for any final agreement with Russia to come into force, the Ukrainian side stressed, adding that a referendum would be needed in Ukraine on the terms of any final deal.
They also proposed holding consultations with Russia on the status of Crimea.