Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said that at the meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul this week, Russia again failed to demonstrate a real readiness for peace or negotiations.
That’s according to the top diplomat’s statement posted on the Norwegian government website.
The Foreign Minister noted that the proposals put forward by Russia to Ukraine at the talks contained the same demands they had made previously.
“These demands – and Russia’s continued brutal attacks on Ukrainian civilians – show that Russia’s war aims remain unchanged,” Eide emphasized, noting that the talks in Istanbul took place immediately after the largest Russian drone strikes on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion.
At the same time, the minister stressed that Ukraine is constructively participating in the negotiations. Ukraine has proposed a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to make progress in talks, but Russia has stalled the offer, Eide added.
“We support Ukraine’s proposal for an unconditional ceasefire as a first step towards a just and lasting peace,” Eide wrote.
He added that, although the Istanbul meeting did not lead to progress on the ceasefire issue, the agreement between the parties on a prisoner exchange was a positive development.
“Together with allies and partners, we are working to strengthen Ukraine and put pressure on Russia, including through sanctions. This is the only way to change Russia’s war calculus, which is necessary to achieve a lasting peace,” the minister assured.
As reported, on June 2, the second round of negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and the Russian Federation took place in Istanbul. The previous meeting took place on May 16. Then, in particular, an agreement was reached on the exchange of prisoners of war in the “1,000 for 1,000” format.
In addition, the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations in Istanbul handed over to the Russian side a list of Ukrainian children, removed from Ukraine by Russia, who must be returned.
Also, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, said that the Russian delegation had handed over to Ukraine “its document”. The Ukrainian team has a week to study the paper.
On June 4, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said it would be possible to continue the negotiations in Istanbul only in the format of discussing the document that would involve no Russian ultimatums. At the moment, the Russian Federation’s memorandum does not look like a document on de-escalation.
Photo: halkinsesikibris.com
Source: Norwegian Foreign Minister on Istanbul talks: Russia again shows no readiness for peace
