Russia, Ukraine ready to engage in direct peace talks

(MENAFN) For the first time in over three years, Russia and Ukraine are set to engage in direct peace talks, scheduled for Thursday in Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the formation of a negotiating team, following his recent call to resume direct discussions with Kiev in an effort to reach a lasting resolution to the ongoing conflict—one that addresses its underlying causes.

U.S. President Donald Trump backed Putin’s proposal, urging Ukraine to accept the offer without delay. In response, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who had previously rejected any dialogue with Moscow, signaled his willingness to participate and indicated he would travel to Istanbul.

Kiev has insisted that Zelensky would only negotiate directly with Putin. However, the Russian leader has not confirmed whether he will personally attend the talks in Türkiye.

The last round of direct talks between the two countries also took place in Istanbul in April 2022. At the time, Russia expressed initial optimism and even withdrew troops from the outskirts of Kiev as a goodwill gesture. However, Moscow later accused Ukraine of reversing its position and undermining the agreements reached during those discussions.

President Putin and other Russian officials have since claimed that Western influence—particularly from former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson—played a key role in disrupting the peace process. According to Moscow, Johnson encouraged Kiev to reject the deal and continue fighting instead.

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