In a new video – the first time he spoke about the peace talks that ended with a hint of some possible progress that follows – he said that only a specific outcome of the talks can be trusted. But he added that he sees no reason to trust the words of some representatives of a power that “continues to fight for our destruction.” Putin’s forces were “pushed” out of the chapter – live updates “The situation has not become easier,” he said, warning that the Russian military still had “significant potential” to carry out attacks. “We are not reducing our defense efforts,” he added. Sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich appeared in peace talks Tuesday morning after allegations he had been poisoned in previous talks – a claim the Kremlin has rejected as part of an “information war”. Read more: How involved is Roman Abramovich in peace talks? Picture: Roman Abramovich in Turkey at Ukraine-Russia peace talks Russia is offering to reduce its military presence near Kyiv Earlier, Russia offered to drastically reduce military activity near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and around Chernihiv. Alexander Fomin, the Kremlin’s deputy defense minister, said Moscow had decided to “fundamentally cut” operations to “increase mutual trust”. Mr Zelenskyy’s response follows US President Joe Biden, who told reporters at the White House: “We will see if they follow.” And speaking to Reuters, a Western official said Russia’s announcement “seems to be more of a tactic” to save time for troops to regroup – a sentiment backed by the Pentagon. He acknowledged that there was a “small movement” of Russian troops away from Kyiv, but described it more as a “repositioning – not a withdrawal”. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:12 The inhabitants are struggling to survive in Ukraine In other developments: • Ukrainian troops “regain ground” and repel Russian forces • Zelensky says Ukraine is willing to consider neutrality and offer security guarantees • US disputes allegations of “chemical” poisoning of Abramovich • More Ukraine Ukrainian and Russian officials met in Istanbul for talks, during which the Russian delegation outlined two steps to de-escalate the war. The reduction of troops was one of the steps, while the other offer was a meeting between the leaders of the two countries if and when a peace treaty was to be reached. The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, stressed that the withdrawal did not represent a ceasefire. Read more: Zelensky offers Putin a way out of the war – but will the Russian leader step down?
KEY POINTS FROM SPEECHES
The Ukrainian and Russian delegations arrived in Istanbul late Monday afternoon with low expectations. By the time they left, on Tuesday afternoon, talk of a major discovery resonated around the world. The talks lasted only a few hours, but both sides seemed to be making compromises that could pave the way for something bigger. Ukraine is said to be ready to give up its ambitions to join NATO. In exchange for sworn neutrality, they will demand security guarantees from as yet unclear states. The United States and the United Kingdom have been discussed, but because of their prominent position in NATO, they may prove unacceptable to Moscow – Poland, Italy and Canada have been added to the list. Ukraine remains firm in its refusal to leave Crimea and Donbas. Russia is just as firm on this issue. These territorial negotiations could be separated at a later date, depending on the outcome of more direct peace talks. But the most unexpected announcement of the day came from the Russian delegation – the proposal to withdraw forces from around Kyiv and Chernihiv. In fact, Russian forces had been bogged down and made little progress for weeks. It was rumored that many of them would pull east anyway, to boost the push there. The prospect of Russian troops occupying Kyiv is becoming increasingly unrealistic, so this is more of a face-saving move. Putin would describe it as a confidence-building gesture, but in reality it represents a complete failure to achieve what he wrongly thought he would do in a matter of days. The Turkish hosts, eager to be pacifists, have suggested that the next step is for Putin and Zelensky to meet in person. This is certainly more likely tonight, but after weeks of broken Russian promises, I can only maintain some skepticism. Zelensky’s proposals for peace Previous talks, whether in Belarus or on video, have failed to make progress in ending the conflict, which has killed thousands and displaced more than 10 million Ukrainians – including nearly four million who have been forced to flee abroad. The Ukrainian president has previously said his country was ready to declare neutrality, as demanded by Moscow, and that a compromise could be reached on the “complicated Donbas issue” in the east of the country, where Russian-backed separatists control in 2014. However, it is not clear how this can be reconciled with his position that “Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are unquestionable.” Follow the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker Russia has long urged Ukraine to abandon all hopes of joining NATO, something Moscow sees as a threat. Mr Zelenskyy, for his part, stressed that Ukraine needed its own security guarantees as part of any agreement. Ukraine has warned that the “significant threat” remains for Kyiv Meanwhile, as Ukrainian forces entered the 34th day of their war, the UK Department of Defense said Kremlin forces remained a “significant threat” to the capital through their strike capability. And later, Downing Street stressed the need for the West not to abandon its response to the crisis.
