Ukraine: Negotiations with Russia 'extremely difficult'
4 Min Read
With Ukraine's constant issuing of new demands, negotiations are facing one obstacle after the other.
-
Residents standing beside a destroyed armored vehicle in Volnovakha, Donetsk, on March 15, 2022 (Reuters)
On Tuesday, Kiev remarked that the ongoing talks with Russia to end the war were "extremely difficult". This comes after Russia accused Ukrainian negotiators of downturning the discussions by repeatedly changing their security demands.
Mykhaylo Podolyak, the Ukrainian presidential advisor, said, "Negotiations are extremely difficult. The Russian side adheres to its traditional tactics of public pressure on the negotiation process, including through certain public statements."
Talks to end the war in Ukraine have been talked about more than they've been implemented. No results.
Russia and Ukraine have already held two meetings in Turkey.
"It is clear that the emotional background today in the negotiation process is heavy. It is clear that the Ukrainian delegation works exclusively within a framework that is pro-Ukrainian and transparent," Podolyak wrote.
Ukraine's lack of consistency in its demands could not be the only thing slowing down the peace process.
Europe's constant pumping of weapons into Ukraine could be the main culprit contradicting all genuine calls for peace.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the main goal of the European Union in Ukraine is to continue the proxy war down to the last Ukrainian. The Ministry's remarks come after Josep Borrell's statements, which asserted that the Ukrainian conflict will end on the battlefield.
On Saturday, Borrell said the Ukrainian conflict would end on the battlefield, adding that the EU will be providing another $543 million from the European Peace Facility to Ukraine.
"The theses about the need for a political solution, in support of negotiations, have disappeared from the EU lexicon. It is clear why: a political solution will interfere with their main goal — to continue the proxy war till the last Ukrainian," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"Before the eyes of the whole world, the EU is degenerating into a militarized and aggressive instrument of external expansion. In accordance with the centuries-old 'European values,' it is conducting another 'onslaught to the East.' This is how the West fulfills the desire for unlimited global domination over those whom it considers worse than itself at the genetic level," the Ministry said.
“Ukraine’s inconsistency slowing down peace talks with Russia”
Commenting on Russian-Ukrainian talks, Putin said the lack of consistency in Ukraine’s demands was slowing down the dialogue on ending Russia’s military operation there.
“Yesterday the Ukrainian side changed something again. Such inconsistency on fundamental points does create certain difficulties in reaching final agreements,” the Russian President said.
Putin went on to say that Moscow-Kiev talks have reached a stalemate because Ukraine has deviated from agreements reached during negotiations in Istanbul.
"Most importantly, the Ukrainian side has moved away from its agreements in Istanbul. Now the requirement of security is one thing. And the issues of regulating relations regarding Crimea, Sevastopol and Donbas are taken out of the scope of these agreements. This is pretty much a return to the dead-end for them and for all of us," Putin said.
He added that he was informed about changes made by Kiev on Monday morning.
"I am not aware of these changes. But such inconsistency on fundamental issues creates certain difficulties in reaching final agreements acceptable to everyone on the negotiating track. And until this happens, the military operation will continue until it is fully completed and the tasks that were set at the beginning of this operation are solved," the Russian President said.
Furthermore, Putin agreed with those who say that the US is ready to fight Russia down to the last Ukrainian.
