Kyiv intends to prepare the ground for negotiations with Moscow in the fall
The Ukrainian authorities intend to prepare the ground for possible negotiations with Russia this autumn, Kyiv Independent reports, citing a source “close to Zelensky”.
According to him, Kyiv is seeking to “start a conversation” with Moscow and discuss a prisoner exchange on the principle of “all for all.” Ukraine is also planning to hold talks on food and nuclear security.
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Kyiv is considering the option of Turkey’s mediation
Sources in the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also previously reported that Kyiv wanted to negotiate with Moscow after the start of the operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the Kursk region.
The publication writes that Ukraine wants to organize negotiations with Russia in an indirect format with the participation of mediators. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities have chosen the format of a “grain deal” with the mediation of Turkey as a priority option for negotiations.
On August 17, The Washington Post reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ offensive in the Kursk region had presumably disrupted secret talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Qatar on a partial ceasefire that were scheduled for August. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the information about Qatar and Turkey’s mediation was a rumor.
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Moscow rules out possibility of negotiations with Kyiv
On August 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ invasion of the Kursk region was aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s position in future negotiations. At the same time, he emphasized that there could be no talk of any negotiations.
But what kind of negotiations can we even talk about with people who indiscriminately strike at civilians, at civilian infrastructure, or try to create threats to nuclear power facilities? What can we even talk about with them?
Putin promised that the events in the Kursk region will receive their assessment, and Ukraine “will certainly receive a worthy response” to its actions.
On August 19, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov emphasized that the peace proposals for settling the Ukrainian crisis voiced by Putin have not been cancelled. However, he pointed out that at this stage, given the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region, Moscow does not plan to negotiate with Kiev.
Deputy Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Galuzin also ruled out the possibility of holding negotiations in the near future.
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