Ukraine mobilized its Western allies on Friday (16) after Kiev and Moscow did not hit a ceasefire in their first direct negotiation in three years, with Russia presenting conditions that, according to a Ukrainian source, go beyond their previous demands.
Under pressure from US President Donald Trump, to end the conflict, delegates from war countries met for the first time since March 2022, a month after Russia broke into its neighbor.
Negotiations at an Istanbul Palace lasted a lot less than two hours, and there was no immediate announcement about whether or when the parties could meet again.
Russia expressed satisfaction with conversations and both countries said they agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war on each side.
But Kiev, who wants the West to impose more severe sanctions less than Moscow accepts a Trump proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, immediately began to mobilize his allies for a harsher action.
Zelensky League Par Trump
As soon as the negotiations ended, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky talked by telephone with Trump and the leaders of France, Germany and Poland, said Zelensky spokesman.
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The demands of Russia were “far from reality and go far beyond anything previously discussed,” a source of the Ukrainian delegation told Reuters.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Moscow issued ultimatums for Ukraine to withdraw from parts of its own territory in order to obtain a ceasefire “and other unacceptable and not constructive conditions.”
British Prime Minister Keir Strmer said the Russian position was unacceptable and that European leaders, Ukraine and the US were “closely aligning” their answers.
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The expectations of a breakthrough, already low, were even more shaken on Thursday, when Trump, ending a trip to the Middle East, said there would be no movement without a meeting between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky stated that Kiev’s priority was “a total, unconditional and honest ceasefire … to interrupt the killing and create a solid foundation for diplomacy.” He said that if Russia refused, it should be the target of new and strong sanctions against its energy sector and banks.
Russia claims to want to end the war by diplomatic means that is ready to discuss a ceasefire. But he raised a number of questions and concerns, saying that Ukraine could take a break to rest her strength, mobilize additional troops, and acquire more Western weapons.
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Ukraine and its allies accuse Putin of delaying and claim that it does not take the desire for peace seriously.
Two ways
It was Putin who proposed direct negotiations in Türkiye, but he refused Zelensky’s challenge to find him in person, sending a team of mid-level authorities. Ukraine responded by naming similar level negotiators.
Both sides are under pressure from Trump to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
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The delegates were sitting face to face, with the Russians in suit and half of the Ukrainians wearing camouflaged military uniforms.
“There are two paths ahead of us: one will lead us to a process that will lead to peace, while the other will lead us to more destruction and death. The parties will decide for themselves, with their own will, which way they will choose,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the beginning of the meeting.
The Ukrainian source said that the Ukrainians spoke in their own language, although the Russian is widely spoken and understood in Ukraine.
