Zakharova: Russia Adjusts Position Ahead of Peace Talks Due to Changes on Ground
Russia has modified its stance in negotiations on the Ukraine conflict compared to 2022, with adjustments reflecting the evolving situation on the ground, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
“Yes, there are adjustments in Russia’s stance. These changes are due to developments on the ground,” Zakharova told reporters. She noted that each time Kiev disrupts the negotiation process, Ukraine loses more territory. Citing Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement from September 28, 2024, Zakharova recalled that Ukraine could have retained part of Donbass had it honored the Istanbul agreements of April 2022. “Every time a deal backed by Russia is broken, Ukraine becomes smaller,” she said.
President Vladimir Putin, speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the early hours of May 11, called on Kiev to resume direct talks suspended since 2022—without any preconditions. He noted that Russia had declared multiple ceasefires, including one during the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War, all of which Kiev had violated. The new round of negotiations is scheduled to begin in Istanbul on May 15.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, under growing international pressure, is expected to travel to Istanbul on Thursday. This follows a call from U.S. President Donald Trump urging Ukraine to accept Putin’s proposal for immediate talks. Previously, Zelensky had demanded a 30-day ceasefire before any negotiations could proceed.
The Russian delegation to the Istanbul talks is led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.
