Ukrainian and Russian delegations negotiated, but then the world learned about the crimes in Bucha.

The Istanbul negotiations, which took place on March 29, 2022 between representatives of Ukraine and Russia, became a key point of disagreement in the United States over the war. Some argue that Ukraine once lost its chance to end the war. The real story paints a different and much more complex picture, writes The Wall Street Journal.

During the negotiations, Russian troops were still near Kyiv, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeating the overloaded Russian units.

It is noted that during the negotiations, the issue of Ukraine’s membership in NATO was the most important part of the agenda. The Russian Federation also demanded that the strength of the Ukrainian Armed Forces should not exceed 85,000 military personnel, 342 tanks and 519 artillery installations. Ukrainian negotiators insisted on an army of 250,000, approximately at the pre-war level, with 800 tanks and 1,900 units. artillery.

“As soon as the conference began, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made an impressive statement from Moscow. According to him, the main goals of the SVO were generally achieved. A few hours later, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky appeared at a press conference in Istanbul with even more stunning news. He announced that negotiations had made significant progress, and Moscow had decided to take measures to de-escalate the conflict. Exhausted Russian troops began to withdraw from the Kyiv region and other parts of northern Ukraine,” the newspaper writes.

It is also indicated that, according to the Kremlin’s version, Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul accepted most of Russia’s demands. Agreements were practically reached, Russian troops left the center of Ukraine, Kyiv, to create conditions for further negotiations.

Journalists note that Kyiv adheres to a different point of view. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, neither side made any commitments in Istanbul. Ukrainian and American officials say Putin had no choice but to withdraw troops by the end of March due to the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ successes.

In addition, according to the author of the article, after the liberation of Bucha, the consequences of the Russian occupation with numerous crimes were revealed to the world. Even though Ukrainian and Russian negotiators remained in touch, finalizing the documents developed in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky made it clear that the killings in Bucha had changed everything. At the same time, Moscow announced a provocation.

In early April, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Kyiv as the Russian and Ukrainian teams remained in contact despite Zelensky’s outrage. Johnson said Putin must fail and promised to support Ukraine 1000%.

Zelensky didn’t need much convincing. The conversation quickly turned to specific ways the UK could help the Ukrainian armed forces, such as providing military supplies. It was the first straw in what would become a flood of increasingly sophisticated Western weapons. Meanwhile online “Negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams have calmed down,” the correspondent adds.

He emphasized that the Kremlin was confident that it was Washington, and not London, that forced Zelensky to abandon negotiations, hoping to exhaust Russia in a protracted war. However, one senior Joe Biden administration official pointed out that “this is complete nonsense” because the US monitored the negotiations but did not influence them.

“Zelensky’s new position, which has not changed since then, was to demand the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from all Ukrainian lands conquered since 2014, including Crimea, and the prosecution of Russian officials suspected of war crimes,” concludes author.

Issues of negotiations with the Russian Federation

Recently, some Western leaders have begun to argue that the time has come to agree to end the war in Ukraine. But analysts say this way of thinking misses the scale of Russia’s goals and what the Kremlin can actually offer.

The Main Intelligence Directorate notes that the Kremlin is concerned that a long war carries risks of destabilization within Russia. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the enemy also sees danger in Ukraine’s maintaining access to the Black Sea.

According to the adviser to the head of the OP, Mikhail Podolyak, peace negotiations with Russia can only take place after Russian troops leave the territory of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin’s “departure” from the Kremlin is not in itself a basis for starting negotiations.