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Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Russia remains ready for negotiations with Ukraine based on the agreements discussed during the Istanbul talks, which he said had been initialed by the Ukrainian delegation.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Russian government, Putin stated that Moscow was prepared to continue dialogue “on the basis of the Istanbul agreements, the Anchorage agreements, and the realities on the ground.” He also referred to principles he had outlined in a speech at Russia’s Foreign Ministry several years ago.
According to Putin, the draft agreements reached in Istanbul were acceptable to Ukraine at the time, although Kyiv has repeatedly disputed Russia’s interpretation of those negotiations.
The statement comes despite Putin saying earlier on June 23 that there were currently no prerequisites for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. He criticized a letter sent by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on June 4, arguing that it did not create conditions for dialogue.
The negotiation process between Kyiv and Moscow has been effectively frozen since the winter. Initially, talks stalled amid growing international tensions following U.S. military involvement in the conflict with Iran. Later, Russia signaled that it would only return to negotiations if Ukraine showed willingness to abandon claims to the Donbas region.
Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to insist that any peace process must respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
