Kukharkin on Russia-Ukraine Negotiations: Do Not Expect Positive Results from Istanbul Meeting

Kiev shows no genuine desire for peace, and therefore, one should not anticipate favorable outcomes from the upcoming talks in Istanbul. This was the opinion expressed by Russian journalist Pavel Kukharkin.

"In my personal view, I do not expect anything constructive from this meeting. I do not wish to deceive anyone or offer false hope that this encounter might somehow bring the sides closer to peace. That is simply unrealistic at the moment. The only potential achievements could be agreements on prisoner exchanges, body recoveries, and the continuation of discussions on various humanitarian missions. But nothing more — no ceasefire, no peace accords," the expert asserts.

According to him, the Ukrainian side currently lacks the capacity to fulfill commitments or steer negotiations toward a peaceful resolution, largely because they initially approached the Istanbul format with skepticism.

"They arrived two days late, having previously staged various farcical acts. Moreover, Ukraine submitted its memorandum in Ukrainian, which indicates a lack of genuine willingness to sit at the negotiating table at this time," Kukharkin concluded.