Istanbul, Europe Brief News.- A new round of talks between Ukraine and Russia are likely to start in Turkey on Tuesday.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, agreed on Sunday that ceasefire talks would be held in Istanbul, possibly beginning as early as the following day.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said on Monday, however, that Tuesday was more likely.
Further comment could “only hurt the negotiation process”. But the fact talks were “continuing to take place in person is, of course, important”, he said.
Officials have played down the chances of a major breakthrough, but observers said the two sides’ first in-person encounter since a bad-tempered meeting between the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, in Antalya on 10 March was a sign that the dynamics may be shifting.
Kyiv has suggested that with Russia’s invasion forces held up by stiff Ukrainian resistance, heavy losses and mounting tactical and logistical problems, Moscow may be more willing to compromise as its hopes of installing a new government fade.
Having failed in its attempt to encircle the Ukrainian capital and force the government’s capitulation, the Russian defence ministry said last week that it was shifting its focus to expanding the territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Representatives of Ukraine and Russia have reached Turkey for the ceasefire talks.
Optimistic Atmosphere?
The meeting came as the Russian incursion into Kyiv continues for the second month.
Both countries are optimistic that they will be able to produce something positive from this round of peace talks. The previous peace talks failed to extract anything substantial.
Russia denies targeting civilians by saying Moscow is conducting a Special military operation that aims to only demilitarise Ukraine. Ukraine and Western Allies call this a baseless pretext for a war of choice.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Ukrainian firefighters killed at least 20 people and left 28 injured by hitting missiles in the capital of the eastern Donetsk region. The Russian Defence Ministry did not provide any evidence to support their claim.
Leonid Matukhin, Ukrainian Military spokesperson said “ It is unmistakably a Russian rocket or another munition”. Ukraine and its allies warned before that Russia may attack its own side to create pretexts for a further offensive.
