Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is prepared to hold peace talks with Ukraine based on the 2022 Istanbul agreements. In remarks delivered Tuesday, Putin stressed that any peace negotiations with Ukraine must be conducted based on the realities on the ground.
According to Qatar News Agency, Putin stated that Russia is ready for peace negotiations on the basis of the agreements reached in Istanbul in the spring of 2022. He emphasized that these agreements had been initially accepted by the Ukrainian delegation, indicating that they were satisfactory at the time. Putin reiterated that there is no reason for Moscow to abandon these agreements.
The Russian president accused Kyiv of targeting civilian facilities in Russia to create an "illusion of strength" and to negotiate from a position of power. He asserted that Ukrainian attacks do not influence the battlefield's developments.
Istanbul was the venue for talks between Russia and Ukraine in the spring of 2022, shortly after the war between the two nations began. During these discussions, both parties explored a draft agreement aimed at ending the conflict.