Moscow, Russia – Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed his country’s readiness to conduct peace talks with Ukraine, based on the agreements reached during the Istanbul negotiations in 2022. However, Putin stressed that any future political settlement must necessarily proceed from the “realities on the ground.”
Adhering to Istanbul Documents as a Basis for Dialogue
The Russian President explained that Moscow still considers the understandings previously reached in Istanbul as a suitable basis for resuming dialogue. He pointed out that the Ukrainian delegation had initialed those documents, reflecting an initial acceptance during that phase of the negotiations.
Putin added that his country sees no justification for backing down from these agreements, confirming Russia’s complete openness to resuming the negotiation track according to the previously agreed-upon foundations.
Accusations Against Kyiv of Creating “Fake Positions of Power”
On the military front, Putin accused Ukrainian forces of carrying out strikes targeting civilian facilities within Russian territory. He considered that these operations primarily aim to create what he described as “fake positions of power,” in an attempt to improve Kyiv’s negotiating position before a potential return to the dialogue table.
The Russian President asserted that, according to his assessments, those attacks have not actually affected the course of military operations or caused a shift in the strategic balance of power on the battlefield.
Chances of Reviving the International Negotiation Track
These statements come at a time when vigorous international efforts continue to find a sustainable political way out of the war that has been ongoing between the two countries since 2022.
It is noteworthy that the Turkish city of Istanbul hosted important negotiation rounds between the two sides in the spring of that year, discussing a draft agreement to end the war. However, those talks later stalled without reaching a final settlement, amid continuing military confrontations and the ongoing exchange of accusations between the two parties.
