Topline
Negotiations in Istanbul Tuesday between Russian and Ukrainian delegations sparked optimism, as Ukraine shared proposals for non-military negotiations regarding Crimea and both sides said there’s progress toward a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine senior adviser Mikhail Podolyak speaks after peace talks between delegations from Russia and … [+]
Key Facts
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelensky representing Ukraine at the talks, tweeted Tuesday proposals included legally-binding security guarantees for Ukraine and to negotiate the Crimean Peninsula Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014 through “only political and diplomatic efforts,” and not through “military means in any case.”
Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said the Russian side proposed a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, according to state-run Russian news agency RIA Novosti, and Podolyak told reporters Tuesday there is a “likelihood” of the meeting occurring soon.
Earlier Tuesday, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said Russia had decided to ”fundamentally cut back military activity” in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and the city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine.
Markets reacted strongly to Tuesday’s development, and the ruble gained more than 8% against the dollar and Brent Crude fell nearly 7% to $103.17 a barrel.
Key Background
Russia’s forcible annexation of Crimea in 2014 drew global condemnation, and the United Nations has called for Russia to withdraw troops from the peninsula. Russia had indicated it intended to overtake the entirety of Ukraine over the first month of its invasion, but has recently scaled back its publicly stated intentions for the war. Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate, said Friday that Russia has changed its focus for the invasion to the “liberation” of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, which has been partially controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces since 2014. The shifting narrative comes amid reports of heavy Russian losses and stalling progress in its offensive. Zelensky has repeatedly called for a meeting with Putin, but Russia hadn’t shown a willingness to do so until Tuesday.
What To Watch For
A series of phone calls between international leaders Tuesday. The White House announced Tuesday President Joe Biden will talk with several European heads of state, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Tuesday morning. Macron, who has had the most consistent contact with Putin of any Western leader, will speak with Putin later Tuesday, according to the French presidency.
Further Reading
Russia Says It Will Reduce Troops In Kyiv And Chernihiv (Forbes)
Ukraine offers neutrality in exchange for NATO-style security guarantees at Russia talks (Reuters)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/03/29/russia-ukraine-talks-ukraine-hints-at-progress-on-crimea-while-both-sides-optimistic-on-putin-zelensky-meeting/