Russia reaffirms readiness to resume Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul
Russia has reaffirmed its readiness to proceed with Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul. This intention, initially stated by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, was reiterated on Wednesday, November 12, by Alexei Polishchuk, head of the Second CIS Countries Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"The peace talks have currently been put on hold by Kyiv. Turkish representatives have repeatedly urged their resumption," Polishchuk stated in an interview with the Russian news agency TASS. "The Russian team remains ready for this step, stating 'the ball is in Ukraine's court'."
It is worth recalling that delegations from Russia and Ukraine held three rounds of Istanbul talks—on May 16, June 2, and July 23. The primary result of these meetings was an agreement on the exchange of prisoners. However, the parties failed to reach a ceasefire agreement, and their core positions remain firmly deadlocked.
Ukraine has expressed its readiness for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the establishment of calm along the entire frontline. In contrast, Moscow demanded that Kyiv withdraw its troops from four claimed regions—Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Luhansk—suspend all military and financial assistance from Western countries, and organize elections in those territories.
Separately, planned peace talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest were ultimately canceled by the US. The decision followed a tense conversation between the two countries' foreign policy chiefs. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly informed Trump that Moscow "does not show signs of real readiness for negotiations."
At the end of October, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin previously suggested that all necessary conditions for organizing Russia-Ukraine negotiations existed and that Moscow was open to direct talks. Galuzin claimed then that the main obstacle was "a lack of Kyiv's political will," alleging that Ukraine was avoiding dialogue in the hope of "achieving peace through force."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
