Russian Foreign Ministry tells about possible conditions and content of talks on Ukraine

Russia is ready for serious negotiations on Ukraine, but it is necessary to resolve legal aspects with the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (his term of office expires in May 2024) and his decree banning negotiations with Russia. This was reported on Tuesday, February 4, by the head of the second department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexei Polishchuk.

"The Russian side is open to realistic proposals and is ready for a serious conversation. As it has been noted more than once, a peaceful settlement is possible on the basis of the Istanbul document of 2022," he told TASS.

According to the diplomat, Russia and Ukraine have already held talks - on the territory of Belarus, as well as in Istanbul at the end of March 2022. However, the negotiation process was interrupted by Ukraine unilaterally. As later recognized by the head of the Ukrainian delegation David Arahamiya, this happened at the suggestion of Boris Johnson, then Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Elections on the horizon: why Ukraine's domestic politics has revitalized

Klitschko complains to Zelensky, Poroshenko is deprived of the rostrum in the Rada

Earlier, on February 1, Reuters said that the Trump administration has for several days continued to discuss ways to persuade Ukraine to hold presidential elections in the country as part of a truce with Russian Federation so that the country's newly elected leader would take responsibility for agreeing a long-term deal with Russia. It was reported at the time that the United States believes that new presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine should be held by the end of 2025. The elections could take place by this date if Kiev manages to agree on a ceasefire with Russia in the coming months.

On January 31, the White House leader's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said that Trump intends to give Moscow and Kiev leverage to negotiate a settlement of the conflict. According to the politician, the administration of the United States is considering options to pressure not only Russia, but also Ukraine. On the same day, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Trump intends to achieve peace in Ukraine through negotiations.

Before that, on January 28, political scientist Ivan Meziukho expressed the opinion that Trump would not coordinate his views on the Ukrainian conflict with Zelensky, because Washington has turned this country into its colony and has never considered Kiev. On the same day, the British newspaper Independent reported that Zelensky demanded that the American leader include Ukraine in any negotiations on the issue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly reminded that Russia has never refused peace talks, but they should be conducted on the basis of the provisions agreed in Istanbul and not on the basis of "ephemeral demands".