Russia has issued a major warning as a third round of Ukraine peace talks get under way in Istanbul. Delegations from the warring sides headed to the Turkish capital on Wednesday in a bid to make progress towards a ceasefire.
The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Rustem Umerov, previously the defence minister but now secretary of the National Security and Defence Council. The Kremlin has again sent former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky to lead the talks on behalf on Russia. Ukraine has dismissed Medinsky as a minor official who has no authority to make any decisions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is hoping the latest round of talks will pave the way for a one-on-one meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, as well as further agreements on prisoner exchanges.
In a post to his X social media account, Zelensky said: “Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to secure the release of our people from captivity and return of abducted children, to stop the killings, and to prepare a leaders’ meeting aimed at truly bringing this war to an end. Our position is fully transparent. Ukraine never wanted this war, and it is Russia that must end the war that it started.”
However, the Kremlin has moved to dampen hopes of a major breakthrough in the upcoming talks. In a press conference, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “No one expects an easy road.”
He then ominously added that there was no reason “to hope for some miraculous breakthroughs”, saying such an outcome was “hardly possible”.
The talks come amid growing unrest in Ukraine over a contentious bill critics believe will weaken Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies.
About 1,500 protesters gathered next to Zelensky’s presidential administration complex shouting “Shame” and “Veto the law” while waving banners. There were also protests in other large cities including Dnipro, Lviv and Odesa.
The new law could jeopardise Kyiv’s chances of joining the EU, which requires Ukraine to bring corruption under control.
A spokesman for European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said she had requested “explanations” from the Ukrainian government.