The proposals presented this week by the kyiv representation at the meeting in that Turkish city put on the discussion table concrete responses to the conditions required by Moscow to put an end to the military operation deployed by the Kremlin in that country on February 24.
According to political analysts, the haste of the Ukrainian president’s team, Vladimir Zelensky, is linked to the offensive advance of the Russian Armed Forces in that country, the destruction of a large part of its arsenals, in addition to the refusal of the United States and the TAN to become directly involved in the conflict.
Although Moscow warned that the promised military de-escalation on the kyiv and Chernigov fronts does not imply a ceasefire and pointed out that the clashes will continue in other directions, without a doubt the Ukrainian initiatives represent its first clear commitment to the solution of basic problems.
In this sense, the written document delivered by the Ukrainian authorities contemplates the country’s refusal to join military blocs, the prohibition of placing foreign bases, contingents and carrying out military exercises on national territory without the consent of guarantor states, including Russia.
It also confirms kyiv’s willingness to become a nuclear-free, neutral nation, and the renunciation of the production and deployment of all kinds of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and bacteriological ones.
He foresees that the country will give up the possibility of recovering Crimea, Sevastopol and the Donbass region by military means, although he assures that he will maintain bilateral negotiations with Moscow on the subject.
In this regard, Moscow clarified that its position will not change, which maintains this point as a possible stumbling block in the continuity of the negotiations.
Their demand calls for Ukraine to recognize the reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol to Russia and the autonomy of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, with their 2014 borders, when the fighting began.
According to the text presented by kyiv, Russia, for its part, would not oppose Ukraine’s aspirations to join the European Union.
Another of the claims that seemed unattainable, that of a meeting between the heads of state of Russia and Ukraine, could also take place as agreed in Istanbul, although only after the parties agree and there is a peace treaty to sign.
Russian presidential adviser Vladimir Medinski, head of the Moscow delegation in the negotiations, warned that the Kremlin will present its proposals after studying those of kyiv and predicted that there is still a long way to go to prepare an agreement that is acceptable to both parties. .
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