Vladimir Putin assures that Russia is ready for negotiations with Ukraine. Russian president talks about talks based on spring 2022. What exactly is he referring to?
Vladimir Putin wants to negotiate with Ukraine. On his terms. Two and a half years after the Russian invasion, he reiterated on Thursday, September 4, that he is ready for negotiations with Ukraine. The Russian president spoke during an economic forum in Vladivostok, Russia.
What exactly did Vladimir Putin say?
“We are ready to negotiate with them, we have never refused,” Vladimir Putin said. “If the desire to negotiate arises, we will not refuse.” However, he added that the talks should “be based on the documents that we have agreed and which were de facto initialed in Istanbul” in the spring of 2022.
What is Vladimir Putin referring to?
A compromise with Ukraine was initialed in Istanbul, Turkey, in the spring of 2022, Russia announced at the time, adding that the West had pushed the Ukrainians to reject the deal. Kiev has always denied any agreement. The texts mentioned by Vladimir Putin have never been made public.
What did this compromise provide?
German daily Die Welt taken by Le Figaro wrote in May 2024 that a 17-page draft agreement between the Russians and Ukrainians was set on April 15, 2022, two months after the Russian invasion. Ukraine reportedly pledged not to produce or acquire nuclear weapons, to maintain “permanent neutrality” and thereby reject any NATO membership, but nothing prevented Ukraine from joining the European Union. In exchange, Russia would have pledged not to attack Ukraine again.
In terms of territories, Crimea was excluded from the deal – Russia had annexed it in 2014 – and therefore had to remain in Moscow's bosom. The separatist territories of Donetsk and Lugansk were not affected either. Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky were to personally establish the borders, according to the statements of the Russian delegation. This meeting never took place.
Always compliant Die Weltthe deal reportedly failed due to new demands from the Russians: that Russian be Ukraine's second official language, that sanctions against Russia be lifted, and that proceedings before the International Criminal Court be dropped.
How does Volodymyr Zelensky react?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet officially reacted to this peace proposal from the Russian enemy.
Have there already been other attempts at negotiations?
In June, Vladimir Putin said he would end the conflict only if Ukraine abandoned its ambitions to join NATO and cede the four Ukrainian regions it claims, in addition to the annexed Crimean peninsula. Following the launch of the Ukrainian offensive in Russia's Kursk region on August 6, the Kremlin deemed talks to end the conflict impossible “at this stage”.