Istanbul Agreement Could Be the Basis for Ukraine Negotiations, Considers New Realities, Says Kremlin Spokesperson

MOSCOW, April 12, 2024 - Dmitry Peskov, the Press Secretary to the Russian President, highlighted that the Istanbul Agreement, initially prepared in March 2022, could serve as a foundation for negotiations on Ukraine. However, he noted that many changes have occurred over the past two years which must be considered.

During a briefing with journalists, Peskov emphasized that returning to negotiations would only be possible through dialogue, reaffirming President Vladimir Putin’s readiness for such talks as confirmed the previous day. “Negotiations always rely on something. It was mentioned that one could also rely on that document (the Istanbul Agreement), but naturally, many changes have happened since then. New subjects have been recorded in our constitution, which weren’t there two years ago. Therefore, there are indeed new realities that cannot be ignored, but at the same time, this (Istanbul Agreement) could be a basis for starting negotiations,” Peskov explained.

He stressed that any political-diplomatic explorations “can only be based on negotiations.” President Putin has repeatedly confirmed his readiness for such talks. “The president had previously spoken about our readiness; this was a confirmation of our well-known stance, which is often misrepresented in statements by various representatives,” added the Kremlin spokesperson. This was in response to whether the statements by Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko about the Istanbul negotiations could be seen as an offer to Kyiv to resume talks one-on-one, without Western mediation.

Additionally, Peskov commented on the unproductiveness of negotiations without Moscow’s participation, noting, “It was emphasized that attempts to conduct forums in search of resolution without the involvement of Russia are hardly rational and potentially capable of yielding results.”

This development suggests a complex backdrop as international efforts continue to navigate the delicate dynamics of the Ukraine crisis.