MWE Correspondent
The peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are currently taking place in Turkey, marking the first time in three years that delegations from both countries have met in the same room. However, their positions appear to remain significantly divergent.
Zelensky stated that his team’s mandate is centered on achieving an immediate ceasefire, while the Russian side indicated yesterday that their focus is on long-term peace and addressing the “root causes of this crisis.” In Kremlin terms, this suggests they are not genuinely interested in a ceasefire but rather in resolving what they perceive as the origins of the conflict—the very existence of Ukraine as a sovereign nation.
Notably, the head of the Russian delegation mentioned yesterday that Russia is open to discussing compromises, although the specifics of this offer remain unclear. This could potentially indicate a step forward and a hint of flexibility from the Russian side. However, he is the only member of the Russian delegation to bring up the idea of compromises.
The rest of the Russian team continues to adhere to their original demands, which include prohibiting Ukraine from joining NATO and asserting control over at least five Ukrainian regions—conditions that are completely unacceptable to Zelensky.
