Putin, Erdogan discuss proposed Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss Moscow’s proposal to resume direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul beginning May 15, according to a statement from the Kremlin dated May 11.
The call followed Putin’s invitation earlier in the day for Ukraine to restart talks, which, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Russia wishes to be based on the terms of the 2022 Istanbul discussions and the “current situation on the battlefield.”
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
“Turkey will offer every possible assistance to facilitate the talks and efforts aimed at achieving sustainable peace,” the Kremlin cited Erdogan as saying.
Though excluded from the Kremlin readout, Turkey’s statement on the call stressed the importance of a ceasefire before peace talks begin.
“Noting that a window of opportunity to achieve peace has opened,” the statement read, “President Erdogan said that a comprehensive ceasefire would create the necessary environment for peace talks.”
The call comes as Russia pushes for talks to resume in Istanbul while continuing its military offensive in Ukraine. Kyiv has said it is ready to talk but insists any negotiations must begin with a full cessation of hostilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 11 that Ukraine is “ready to meet” if Russia confirms a “full, durable, and reliable” ceasefire.
The Istanbul talks refer to negotiations between Ukraine and Russia held in Turkey in late March 2022, which outlined potential terms for a peace deal.
In the three years since the failed talks, Russian propaganda networks have frequently pushed the idea that peace was almost achieved in Istanbul, before Western leaders, in particular then-U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, allegedly pressured Zelensky to reject the deal and continue fighting.
In reality, leaked documents from 2022 show that Moscow’s first peace offer amounted to Ukraine’s effective surrender.
According to an investigation by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Sistema, Russia’s initial six-page draft agreement, presented on March 7, 2022, demanded Ukraine reduce its military to just 50,000 troops and surrender its ability to develop or deploy long-range missiles or other advanced weapons.
The draft also required Ukraine to recognize Russia’s control over Donetsk and Luhansk, reinvest in the war-torn regions under Russian terms, and de facto legalize Soviet and communist symbols.
“The Istanbul accords happened 30 days after the invasion, and the demands in Istanbul were fairly significant on a very weakened Ukraine,” said Keith Kellogg, U.S. presidential envoy for Ukraine, during a March 6 discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk