Russia

President Vladimir Putins proposed meeting between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul on Thursday could mark the first direct talks between the two sides since the early weeks of Russias full-scale invasion.Ukraine has warned that Putins refusal to meet with his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey would signal that Moscow has no real intention of ceasing hostilities.The Kremlin declined to say who Russia would send to Turkey after Putin proposed negotiations in a late-night statement over the weekend, but said Moscow continues to prepare for the talks.While Putin insisted that Moscow has never refused dialogue with the Ukrainian side, experts and public figures warn that his renewed interest in diplomacy may be more about shaping global perception than a true interest in ending the war.Analysts say the proposed meeting plays to Russias advantage, with Moscow seemingly attempting to reshape the rules on its terms by proposing talks after Kyiv and several European countries called for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday a call to which Russia has not responded.Russian spokespeople repeatedly stated that a simple ceasefire would give Ukraine a military advantage, allowing it to use the pause to build fortifications, safely produce and import weapons and conduct mobilization, said Alexander Baunov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.By proposing talks without halting combat, Baunov said, the Russian army will continue its offensive on the front lines and bomb Ukrainian rear positions, reinforcing diplomatic pressure with military force.At the same time, the move may be aimed at appeasing both domestic hardliners and international skeptics.The chosen format of the counteroffer allows for preventing or delaying Trumps angry exit from the talks, which he announced in case either or both sides are uncooperative...
It also calms the domestic environment, the military, foreign observers and, finally, the pro-war segment of Russian public opinion, Baunov noted.The emphasis on the fact that Russia is merely resuming interrupted Istanbul talks is most suited for balancing between compromise and the desire to fight, between legitimacy and power, he added.Tatiana Stanovaya, founder and head of the political analysis project R.Politik, said the agreement to direct talks should not be misread as a shift in Moscows strategy or a sign that Putin wants to make a deal with Zelensky.His aim is to stall Western arms deliveries, exploit any weakening of Zelenskys position and exacerbate Ukraines internal instability.
He also wants Kyiv to lift its ban on talks with Russians, which would allow broader outreach within Ukraine, Stanovaya said on X.He does not believe, even for a moment, that Kyiv in its current state can agree to Russian terms, she said.Former Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev offered a similar view.It is important to understand that Putin does not need negotiations with Zelensky, said Bondarev, who resigned from the Russian mission to the UN in Geneva in protest of the invasion.This war is not primarily against Ukraine, but rather against the United States through Ukraine a battle against U.S.
global dominance, Bondarev posted on X.This is why Putin has no interest in negotiating with Zelensky; what he truly seeks is a conversation with Trump.
But not just any conversation one where Trump agrees to a new world order, placing Putins sphere of influence somewhere close to the size of the former Warsaw Pact, he said, referring to a collective defense treaty established by the Soviet Union and seven other states to oppose NATO.Thus, negotiations with Ukraine are merely a means to cloud Washingtons judgment and keep the aging Donald in the illusion that Putin wants peace, Bondarev added.Some Russian pro-war figures often among the most vocal skeptics of any negotiations have also voiced doubts about Putins proposal to hold peace talks with Ukraine.Jailed nationalist Igor Girkin, a key commander of pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine in 2014, said that any meeting with Zelensky would be disastrous both personally for Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] and for the negotiating stance of the Russian Federation.Zelensky has made a very clever move, putting Moscow in an extremely disadvantageous position, Girkin said, referring to Zelenskys proposal to meet Putin in person in Istanbul.Putin himself, as well as those close to him, has repeatedly declared Zelensky illegitimate and insisted there was no one in Kyiv to negotiate with.
Walking that back would be extremely difficult, Girkin said.However, refusing to meet would not improve the situation for the Russian Federation either, as global media and not just the media would interpret it as proof that Russia itself proposed negotiations and then sabotaged them.
This would carry all the expected consequences, including tougher sanctions, increased support for Ukraine and intensified efforts to counter Russia, he said.A Message from The Moscow Times:Dear readers,We are facing unprecedented challenges.
Russias Prosecutor Generals Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution.
This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia.
The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced.
But to continue our work, we need your help.Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference.
If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2.
Its quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.By supporting The Moscow Times, youre defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression.
Thank you for standing with us.Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later.Remind me next monthThank you! Your reminder is set.We will send you one reminder email a month from now.
For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy.





Unlimited Portal Access + Monthly Magazine - 12 issues


Contribute US to Start Broadcasting - It's Voluntary!


ADVERTISE


Merchandise (Peace Series)

 


Lavrov Names Sanctions Relief and Return of Frozen Assets as Preconditions for Ukraine Ceasefire


[Russia] - Former Russian National Guard Official Arrested on Bribery, Abuse of Power Charges


[Russia] - Black Sea Oil Spill Reaches Abkhazia's Shores


[Russia] - Russian Anti-Terrorism Police Warn of Foreign Spying Disguised as Photo Contests


Russian Army Says It Seized First Village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Region


[Russia] - Former Transportation Minister Roman Starovoit Found Dead With Gunshot Wound After Being Sacked by Putin


[Russia] - Russia Targets Emigres in Kazakhstan With Back Tax Demands


Ukrainian Drone Attacks Trigger Major Flight Disruptions at Russia’s Busiest Airports


[Russia] - New Details Emerge in Bribery Case Against Rusagro Founder


[Russia] - Far-Flung Kamchatka Peninsula Restricts Mobile Internet to Thwart Alleged Ukrainian Sabotage


Rosstat Stops Publishing Monthly Population Data Amid War Deaths, Demographic Crisis


[Russia] - Russian Gold Mining Tycoon Barred From Leaving Country Amid Nationalization Efforts


Putin Sacks Transportation Minister Roman Starovoit


[Russia] - Ukraine Says 4 Killed, Over 30 Wounded in Russian Strikes


Russia Says Captured 2 More East Ukraine Settlements in Donetsk and Kharkiv Regions


UN Condemns Russia's Largest Drone Assault on Ukraine


Trump Says He’s ‘Very Unhappy’ With Putin Call, Hints at New Sanctions


Russia Removes Peace Symbol from School Textbook Cover


[Russia] - Head of Moscow Region's Azerbaijani Diaspora Stripped of Russian Citizenship


Russia Adds 14-Year-Olds to ‘Terrorists and Extremists’ List


[Russia] - What Ukraine Is Missing as U.S. Holds Back Air Defense and Battlefield Weapons


[Russia] - Russian Firms Seek North Korean Translators to Support Influx of Workers


[Russia] - Dutch and German Intelligence Say Russia Increasingly Uses Chemical Weapons in Ukraine


[Russia] - Russia Carries Out 8th Prisoner Exchange With Ukraine Since Istanbul Talks


[Russia] - Professionals: Russia Recognizing Taliban Rule in Afghanistan Largely a Symbolic Move


Storm Batters St. Petersburg With High Winds, Rising Water Levels


St. Petersburg Naval Parade Canceled Over Security Concerns – Fontanka


[Russia] - Russian Car Market Expected to Contract by 24% This Year


[Russia] - Transneft Vice President Dies in Apparent Fall From Window, Reports Say


Russia Launches Largest Air Attack Since Invasion as Ukrainian Drone Strike Kills Woman in Rostov


Russia Becomes First Country to Recognize Taliban Government


Chechnya's Dependence on Federal Funding Hits New High


No Way Home: The Exiled Russian Speakers Fighting Their Own War in Syria


[Russia] - Russian Tycoons Earn Record $20 Billion in Dividends Amid Recession Worries


[Russia] - Russians Report Nighttime Police Raids in Azerbaijan as Tensions Flare


Former Kremlin-Backed Mayor of Luhansk Killed in Explosion


Putin Congratulates Trump on U.S. Independence Day During Hourlong Call


[Russia] - Russian-Made Jet Prices Soar as Moscow Struggles to Ditch Boeing and Airbus


Teen Facing Death Threats From Family Disappears in Ingushetia, Rights Group Says


Britain Links Azerbaijani Traders With Rosneft Ties to Russia’s Shadow Fleet


[Russia] - Russian Deputy Navy Commander Killed in Kursk Region


Russia Moves to Nationalize Country’s Third-Largest Gold Mining Firm


Orenburg Mayor Resigns to Continue Military Service in Ukraine


Durov Hints at Anti-Telegram Smear Campaign as Russia Readies Homegrown Competitor


FSB Arrests Woman Who Tried to Place Bomb Under Defense Worker’s SUV


[Russia] - Elderly Woman Killed in Ukrainian Drone Strike on Lipetsk Region


Emergency Contraceptives Disappear from Russian Pharmacies – Vyorstka


[Russia] - Putin Signs Decree Seeking to Lure Foreign Investors Into Russian Stock Market


Khakassia Governor Vetoes Local Government Reform Bill


[Russia] - From Plane Crash to Deadly Arrests: What's Behind the Russia-Azerbaijan Standoff


[Russia] - Kids of Russian Soldiers Increasingly Placed in State Care, Regional Officials Say


Russian Companies See Sharp Rise in Wage Arrears


Putin Praises Kyrgyzstan for ‘Special Status’ of Russian Language


Azerbaijani and Russian Investigators in ‘Constant Contact’ Amid Diplomatic Crisis


Russia’s Natural Gas Exports to Europe Plunge to Historic Lows


Security Forces Raid Russia's Third-Largest Gold Producer Over Environmental, Safety Violations


[Russia] - Kremlin Welcomes Halt in U.S. Arms Shipments to Ukraine


Fatal Car Crash Sparks Anti-Roma Protests in Saratov Region


Foreign Automakers Scale Back New Model Launches in Russia


Anti-War University Student in St. Petersburg Released From Prison


Russia Eyes Industrial Levy to Shield Domestic Producers and Plug Budget Gaps


[Russia] - Yekaterinburg Court Places 6 Azerbaijanis in Pre-Trial Detention Amid Cold-Case Probe


[Russia] - Macron Urges Ukraine Ceasefire in First Call With Putin Since 2022


[Russia] - Taliban Diplomat to Take Role as Moscow Ambassador


Russia’s VTB Reports Increase in Overdue Retail Loans


[Russia] - Kremlin Launches Online Bot Campaign to Defend Steep Utility Rate Increases


[Russia] - Su-34 Crashes During Training Flight in Central Russia


[Russia] - Russia to Disconnect Foreigners Who Have Not Submitted Biometric Data From Mobile Internet


[Russia] - Ex-Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison


Kremlin Dismisses Trump Envoy’s Claim That It Is Stalling Peace Talks


[Russia] - Russian Manufacturing Activity Sees Sharpest Decline Since Early Months of Ukraine Invasion


[Russia] - Azerbaijan Launches Murder Probe After Autopsy Finds Brothers Died From Beatings in Russian Police Custody


[Russia] - Russia's Top Ferroalloy Producer to Cut Workweek Amid Metallurgy Crisis


[Russia] - Russia Now Occupies All of Ukraine's Luhansk Region, Kremlin-Installed Official Says


[Russia] - Ukrainian Drone Attack on Izhevsk Kills 3 and Wounds Dozens More


[Russia] - Ukrainian Drone Attack on Izhevsk Kills and Wounds Multiple People


[Russia] - Kim Jong Un Honors North Korean Soldiers Killed Fighting for Russia


[Russia] - Significant Kuzbass Coal Mine Halts Operations, Leaving Hundreds Without Pay


Financial Insecurity Is Russians' Top Reason Not to Start a Family & Poll


[Russia] - Leading Russian Coal Producer to Receive State Support Amid Deepening Industry Crisis


Mariupol Children Undergo Pro-Russian Indoctrination at St. Petersburg ‘Wellness Camps’


Prosecutors Seek Criminal Charges Against YouTuber Yury Dud Over ‘Foreign Agent’ Law Violations


[Russia] - Sberbank Approves Record $10Bln Dividend Payout


[Russia] - Government Price Caps Put Russia's Breadmakers in Jeopardy, Producer Warns


‘Jesus of Siberia’ Cult Leader Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison


FSB Recruits Ukrainian Teenagers for Espionage and Sabotage – FT


[Russia] - Samara Region Police Open 'Nazi Rehabilitation' Probe After Teenagers Sing Ukrainian Song


Russian Advances Toward Sumy Continue – WSJ


Russia Moves to Limit Exemptions for Military Conscripts


[Russia] - Lavrov Warns West Against Backing 'Color Revolution' in Serbia as Protests Heat Up


[Russia] - Azerbaijan-Russia Rift Deepens After Deaths of Azeri Men in Police Arrests