US envoy hints at renewed talks on Istanbul peace plan
"The draft of the Istanbul agreements from 2022 could serve as a basis for resolving the conflict in Ukraine," said the US Special Envoy for Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, as reported by the TASS agency.
Many of the reports provided by Russian media or government officials are elements of propaganda. These reports are part of the information warfare conducted by the Russian Federation.
- Our talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia, which included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the President's National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, were positive and constructive. I believe they have added momentum to the conflict resolution process. I am optimistic, as is US President Donald Trump, and I think we may soon make some progress - said Witkoff, as quoted by the TASS agency.
Witkoff stated that he is convinced that the Russians are seriously considering entering a peace agreement in the near future - although he did not specify what concessions Moscow is prepared to make to end the conflict.
Trump's envoy expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his flexibility in securing Fogel's release, viewing it as a significant gesture toward President Trump and a signal that Putin is open to negotiations.
Witkoff also speculates that Ukraine will agree to a deal with the US regarding rare earth metals later this week. He stated that Zelensky changed his mind after bitter words directed at him by Donald Trump.
Istanbul agreements
The Istanbul Agreement of 29th March 2022 prohibited Ukraine from hosting any foreign military bases on its territory, which meant that NATO would not be able to permanently station its forces there. Lavrov explained that this point concerned fulfilling Vladimir Putin's demand for "demilitarisation."
Russia wanted to limit the size of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the amount of military equipment to 85,000 personnel, 340 tanks, and 520 artillery pieces; the Ukrainian side insisted on different numbers: 250,000 personnel, 800 tanks, and 1,900 artillery pieces respectively.
At the same time, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry revealed that "Putin agreed to allow Ukraine to come under NATO protection." - The peace agreement in Istanbul between Moscow and Kyiv anticipated the application of NATO Article 5 to Ukraine - he said in an interview with Russian media.
Source: TASS, CNN, WP News
