Russia announced its willingness to return to peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, according to a statement reported Wednesday by the state-run TASS news agency. The Kremlin says the initiative for restarting dialogue lies entirely with Kyiv, as the war grinds toward the end of its fourth year.
The last direct encounter between the two sides took place on July 23 in the Turkish city, marking the first attempt in months to revive diplomatic communication. That session, which lasted only 40 minutes, ended without progress.
During that brief meeting, Ukrainian officials suggested arranging a summit in August between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin in hopes of breaking the deadlock. The Kremlin later declared that Putin was open to such a meeting — but insisted it take place in Moscow, a demand Ukraine flatly rejected.
TASS quoted Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexei Polishchuk as saying that Turkey has consistently encouraged both parties to return to the table. “The Russian team is ready for this, the ball is in the Ukrainian court,” he said, framing Moscow as prepared to engage whenever Kyiv agrees.
Ukrainian officials, however, have dismissed Moscow’s narrative, maintaining that Russia’s ongoing aggression and refusal to withdraw troops are the real reasons talks remain frozen. They argue that the Kremlin’s statements are merely an attempt to shift blame for the stalled peace efforts.
{Matzav.com}
