“NOT THE KEY PLAYERS”
If the talks do go forward, they must tackle a chasm between the 2 sides over a bunch of points.
The Russian delegation is headed by presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky, a former tradition minister who has overseen the rewriting of historical past textbooks to replicate Moscow’s narrative on the conflict. It features a deputy defence minister, a deputy overseas minister and the pinnacle of army intelligence.
Key members of the staff, together with Medinsky, have been additionally concerned within the 2022 talks – a sign that Moscow desires to choose up the place these left off.
However the phrases below dialogue then, whereas Ukraine was nonetheless reeling from the preliminary Russian invasion, can be deeply disadvantageous to Kyiv. They included a Russian demand for deep cuts to the dimensions of Ukraine’s army.
With Russian forces now in charge of near a fifth of Ukraine, Putin has held quick to his longstanding calls for for Kyiv to cede territory, abandon its NATO membership ambitions and turn out to be a impartial nation.
Ukraine rejects these phrases as tantamount to capitulation, and is looking for ensures of its future safety from world powers, particularly the USA.
Zelenskyy backs an immediate 30-day ceasefire, however Putin has stated he first desires to begin talks at which the main points of such a truce may very well be mentioned.
French Overseas Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated Zelenskyy had proven his good religion by coming to Türkiye however there was an “empty chair” the place Putin ought to be sitting.
“Putin is stalling and clearly has no want to enter these peace negotiations, even when President Trump expressed his availability and his want to facilitate these negotiations,” he stated.
Highlighting the extent of rigidity between Russia and the US-led alliance, Estonia stated Moscow had briefly despatched a army jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea throughout an try by the Estonian navy to cease a Russian-bound oil tanker regarded as a part of a “shadow fleet” defying Western sanctions on Moscow.
