Negotiations in Istanbul: Kremlin tries to lower the stakes from the start
Some thoughts on the Istanbul talks.
1. One cannot help but note the paradox of completely different delegations from the Russian Federation - the one that met with the Americans and the one that is now at the talks in Istanbul. The composition is completely different. This means that either then or now (or both) Russia was "playing the fool". That is, it was/is setting completely different goals instead of the negotiations to end the war.
2. Regarding the "Istanbul warehouse". Along with the strange personality of Medinsky, who has been and is engaged in pseudo-historical justification of the Russian war against Ukraine (like the "suffering of young Werther") and publicly demonstratively cut bank cards in 2022 (like - Russia is not afraid of sanctions), the presence of two representatives of the "military wing" at least at least suggests that the issue of the demarcation line (for a truce on land) will be discussed.
3. In addition to the composition of the delegations, which Russia has deliberately kept low (perhaps to prevent an immediate decision from being made, only a high level of representation would allow for this), what will be discussed at the talks themselves is also important. The declared position of Ukraine, Europe, and the United States on the need for a 30-day ceasefire implies discussing issues related to the ceasefire itself, not the "root causes" on the part of Russia (either those voiced in recent months or those voiced in March-April 2022). The legal status of the territories and the reduction of Ukraine's military capabilities are not part of the ceasefire discussion.
Hopefully, the talks in Istanbul, even if no decision is made today/tomorrow, will become a transit point for either moving toward a truce or further strengthening sanctions pressure on Russia.
