Meanwhile,
Russia ukraine close peace march:
Alexandr Demyanchuk / AFP
Vladimir Putin wishes to start from the conclusions of the Istanbul meeting between Ukraine. Furthermore, Russia in March 2022, where kyiv had presented numerous compromises. Nevertheless, (illustration)
INTERNATIONAL – Donald Trump assured it at the White House on August 18: the meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky. Therefore, Vladimir Putin is in very good way, and could even take place “In the next two weeks”. However, The days go by and, this Friday, August 22, the situation still seems as frozen between Ukraine and Russia.
Because despite the rave promises of the American president. russia ukraine close peace march Moreover, nothing seems to have changed since the arrival of Vladimir Putin in Alaska and that of Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. Nevertheless, Russia always refuses the slightest compromise. Therefore, continues to tirelessly strike Ukraine, while kyiv continues to denounce “Indecent signals” sent by Moscow.
The fact remains that the Kremlin has brought forward a more concrete element in recent days. Similarly, through the chief of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov. In addition to continuing to hammer than “Foreign intervention on part of Ukrainian territory […] would be completely unacceptable “the latter added a notable point: that the hypothetics future peace discussions rely ” on. However, the achievements obtained during negotiations in Istanbul in 2022 ”.
An allusion far from harmless. However, because the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs refers to a moment now forgotten by the conflict: when Ukraine and Russia had never been so close to russia ukraine close peace march a peace agreement, on March 29, 2022, in Turkey.
Heavy Ukrainian concessions
To understand this. In addition, you have to go back to the situation on the front at the end of March 2022. It’s been a little more than a month since Russia started its large -scale invasion of Ukraine. and the fighting is raging, especially in the kyiv region, the major objective of the Russian forces.
Despite these very intense clashes. the Ukrainian and Russian delegations began discussions on February 28, 2022, followed by other meetings in early March. Then comes the meeting of March 29, in Istanbul, where a major progress seems to be taking place. At the end of this meeting. the Russian and Ukrainian parties announce that they have agreed on a “Joint declaration” Regarding Ukraine security guarantees for an end of the war.
According to sources russia ukraine close peace march with the magazine Foreign Affairsit was Ukraine who would have written these proposals. while Russia had agreed to use them as a basic framework. Their content very clearly contrasts kyiv’s claims of 2025. “The treaty envisaged in the declaration would proclaim Ukraine as a neutral. non -nuclear state, permanently”, summarizes the American magazine.
« Ukraine renounced any intention to join military alliances, or to authorize military bases or foreign troops on its soil. The press release listed as potential guarantors of the permanent members of the UN Security Council (including Russia) as well as Canada. Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland and Turkey “, pursue Foreign Affairs.
Concretely. Ukraine agreed to become a neutral state and never join NATO, provided they obtain sufficient security guarantees from the West … and Russia. A major concession on the part of kyiv. which is explained in particular by Western support then russia ukraine close peace march very reluctant, being content with the sending of bullet-oriencies, and dividing itself to find out if an anti-aircraft missile was a weapon “Defensive” or « offensive ».
In this delicit of agreement. Moscow made two compromise, on the membership of Ukraine to the European Union and for discussions in the years to come on Crimea.
Russia ukraine close peace march
The end of the kyiv campaign. turning from the conflict
But on March 29, 2022 also marked a crucial turning point in the conflict in Ukraine. Indeed, the Russian Deputy Deputy Minister announces from Istanbul that Moscow hears “ radically reduce [son] military activity towards kyiv ”. Russia justifies this announcement by a desire to “ increase confidence “when “ Negotiations about an agreement on neutrality. non -nuclear status of Ukraine [entrent] in a practical dimension ”.
But in reality. this decision is above all russia ukraine close peace march the result of the bitter failure of the Kremlin to carry out his lightning war to bring down the Ukrainian capital and overthrow the Volodymyr Zelensky regime.
The end of the Russian campaign in kyiv changes a lot. The Ukrainian relentless resistance in the first weeks of the conflict. the cacophonic withdrawal from Russia around the Ukrainian capital make Volodymyr Zelensky understand – and to Western countries – that his country can stand up to the Kremlin troops, provided you have enough equipment and ammunition.
The discovery in April 2022 of civilians at Boutcha and Irpin, near kyiv, also compromises discussions. Summary executions. tortures, rapes: Russian war crimes still tip the conflict in a new dimension, Volodymyr Zelensky qualifying the Russian acts of “Genocide”. Consequently. it seems much more difficult to imagine any agreement being able to be negotiated and accepted by the Ukrainian population.
Return in March 2022, a Russian fantasy
Other discussion by videoconference follow still in the following weeks. It is at this point that Russia begins to add increasingly ideological conditions. such as the “Dénazification” From Ukrainian society, recognition of Russian as an official language, limitation to the extreme of the Ukrainian army, or the addition of a veto of Moscow on all the security guarantees provided to Ukraine.
In May 2022. the discussions then interrupted, and will never really resume, in view of the almost total failure of the May, June and July 2025 meetings between Ukrainian and Russian delegations, still in Istanbul.
After three. a half years of war, the Russian desire to resume negotiations since the discussions of March 2022 seems to be motivated by that of starting from a very unfavorable framework in kyiv.
The Institute for the russia ukraine close peace march Study of War. an American think-tank referring in the analysis of the conflict in Ukraine, goes even further. “The Kremlin probably understands that the framework of Istanbul of 2022 is not viable for kyiv. and therefore continues to invoke it with the aim of presenting Ukraine as reluctant to negotiate, while Moscow continues to delay peace efforts in good faith”. The end of the war still seems far away.
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