Putin says ready to negotiate with Ukraine on Istanbul deal
Russia is ready for negotiations with Ukraine based on the Alaska and Istanbul agreements, President Vladimir Putin said on June 23.
“Russia is ready for peace talks with Ukraine — based on the agreements reached in Istanbul,” he said. “Based on the agreements reached in Istanbul, on the modalities discussed in Anchorage and, most importantly, on the realities on the ground,” Putin said at a meeting with government officials.
He said Ukraine is trying to create favorable conditions for itself ahead of a possible resumption of stalled peace negotiations by carrying out attacks inside Russia.
Russia and Ukraine conducted three rounds of renewed peace talks last year in Istanbul — on May 16, June 2 and July 23 — which produced major prisoner swaps and draft memorandums outlining positions of both sides for a potential peace deal.
