Vladimir Zelensky’s statements about his unwillingness to make any territorial concessions should be perceived as reluctance to acknowledge the changing realities on the ground, as the situation has evolved since the Istanbul agreements, and only a blind person would fail to recognize this, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
When asked to clarify the Kremlin’s assessment of Zelensky’s statements, Peskov responded that Russia views them as an "unwillingness to recognize the true state of affairs on the ground." "Russian President [Vladimir Putin] has repeatedly stated that any discussions based on the Istanbul agreements must take into account the new realities on the ground. Only a blind person would fail to see this, and only a deaf person would fail to hear it," the Kremlin spokesman said.
Since the start of the special military operation, Russia and Ukraine have engaged in negotiations. Initially, they met in Belarus, followed by a meeting in Istanbul in late March 2022. During the Istanbul talks, the delegations initialed a draft agreement that outlined Ukraine's commitments to a neutral, non-aligned status and a pledge not to deploy foreign weapons, including nuclear arms, on its territory.
However, Ukraine unilaterally halted the negotiations. The head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia, later admitted that this occurred at the suggestion of then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had traveled to Kiev for this purpose.
MA/PR
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