There are new efforts to restart peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, with Turkey offering to host the negotiations in Istanbul. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has again called on the two sides to return to the negotiation table and end the ongoing war.
Discreet contacts are already underway, the reports say, between Moscow and Kyiv back channels. Both sides are under pressure—Ukraine because of battlefield losses and Russia as a result of mounting international sanctions and isolation.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine is willing to negotiate but only if they are on the terms of respecting the territorial integrity of the country, including Crimea. From the other end, Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains that Crimea is not negotiable anymore and should remain a part of Russia.
Flashback:
There were peace talks in Belarus early in 2022, but they collapsed almost immediately. The two sides subsequently met in Istanbul and were close to a deal, but it was put on the back burner as evidence emerged of war crimes in Ukrainian towns like Bucha. Ever since, the priority has been military rather than diplomatic.
Now, as the war approaches its third year, there is mounting fatigue on both sides. Ukrainian troops are having a difficult time holding their positions in the east, and Russian forces are suffering from supply problems and domestic unrest.
Turkey has emerged as a neutral actor. It had earlier facilitated an agreement that enabled grain exports from Ukraine amid the war. That success is partly why Erdoğan thinks Turkey can assist once more.
NATO and EU countries are watching closely. Some rulers embrace the possibility of talks, but others fear that Russia would use them to regroup. The Baltic countries and Poland remain adamantly opposed to any deal that rewards Russian aggression.
Military analysts say a temporary ceasefire can save lives, but lasting peace will be hard to find without major concessions from both sides.
In brief, though the path to peace remains murky, the rejuvenated momentum for talks in Istanbul offers a faint ray of hope. Whether the leaders seize it—or continue fighting—can shape the region’s destiny for years ahead.
