(Istanbul) Russian and Ukrainians concluded a third session of direct negotiations in Istanbul on Wednesday evening by noting the “distance” of their positions to end the war triggered in 2022 and in the end only on a new exchange of prisoners.
After barely an hour of discussions at the Palais de çiragan, the negotiators found that their respective “positions” were “quite distant from each other,” said Vladimir Medinski, the head of the Russian delegation, during a press statement.
During the day, the Kremlin had already showered the hopes of advances to put an end to the conflict launched in February 2022 by Moscow at its neighbor and which made tens of thousands of dead and injured.
“No one is expecting an easy path. Of course, it will be a very complicated discussion, “said the spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitri Peskov, repeating that the respective proposals of the belligerents to arrest the conflict were” diametrically opposed “.
The only concrete measure: the negotiators agreed for a new exchange of 1,200 prisoners on each side, according to Vladimir Medinski, as has already been the case on several occasions.
Moscow also proposed to Kyiv to give him 3000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, as well as trucers of “24 to 48 hours” on the front so that the two armies can recover their killed and injured, continued Mr. Medinski.
Ukraine, for its part, suggested a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky by the end of August, potentially in the presence of the American and Turkish presidents, according to the negotiator of Kyiv Roustem Oumerov.
“Memorandums” and exchange of prisoners
In the preamble to these negotiations, a source within the delegation sent by Kyiv had told AFP hoping for a “constructive position” of Russia and that it renounces “its ultimatums”.
These direct talks occurred once again as a result of pressures exerted by American president Donald Trump who gave Moscow, mid-July, 50 days to reach an agreement with Ukraine, under penalty of severe sanctions.
Kyiv and its Western allies accuse the Kremlin of blocking negotiations by maintaining maximalist requests, while the Russian army, more numerous and better equipped, continues its attacks on the front, where it nibbles every day on the ground.
On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed the conquest of a new village, Varatchyné, in the Ukrainian region of Soumy (Northeast) where, during the night, Russian drone strikes led to more than 220,000 customers, according to Mr. Zelensky.
The positions of the two camps currently seem irreconcilable. As Wednesday evening, discussions in Istanbul in May and June had only led to the exchange agreements of prisoners and bodies of soldiers killed.
According to spokesperson for the Russian presidency Dmitri Peskov, talks were mainly about the “memorandums” exchanged in June by the two camps and including their peace proposals.
PHOTO EMRAH GUREL, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The former Ukrainian Defense Minister Roustem Oumerov arrives at the Ciragan Palace for peace talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Kyiv wanted to focus on a new exchange of prisoners, the repatriation of the Ukrainian children led to Russia and the preparation of a Putin-Zelensky meeting.
Moscow claims that Ukraine gives him four partially occupied regions of the east and south of its territory, in addition to the Crimea annexed in 2014, renounces Western arms deliveries and any membership in NATO.
Unacceptable conditions for Kyiv, who wants the withdrawal of Russian troops and Western security guarantees including the continuation of arms deliveries and the deployment of a European contingent, to which Russia is opposed.
Trump Pressure
Ukraine also claims, in concert with its European allies, a 30-day ceasefire, to which the Russians are refused, whose forces have the advantage on the ground.
On the ground, military operations continue.
During the night, 71 Russian drones targeted Ukraine, according to the Air Force. Three people were killed in the Kherson region (South), according to local authorities who also reported nine injured.
For its part, the Russian army claimed to have neutralized 33 Ukrainian drones overnight and several dozen during the day, launched against Russia.
Since his return to power in January, Donald Trump has resumed contact with Moscow to try, without great results, to stop the war.
In recent weeks, the American president has expressed his frustration with regard to Russia and said that US military equipment paid by European NATO members, are sent to Ukraine.
Washington approves arms sales to Ukraine to strengthen its anti -aircraft defense
The United States announced on Wednesday that it has approved a sale of arms to Ukraine notably aimed at strengthening its anti-aircraft defense for an amount of $ 322 million, according to a statement. This is the second sale of weapons to Ukraine, which also includes armored vehicles, since the return to power of Donald Trump in January. She intervenes after the statements of the American president promising to send weapons to strengthen Kyiv’s defenses against Russia. The sale of weapons, which was notified by the State Department at the US Congress for Approval, includes spare parts and various equipment for anti -aircraft defense missiles of the HAWK type ($ 172 million) and Bradley armored vehicles ($ 150 million).
