A senior Ukrainian diplomat has acknowledged that Kyiv is participating in ongoing ceasefire talks with Russia not in the hope of brokering peace, but merely to avoid being blamed by its Western partners.
Georgiy Tikhiy, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, conceded that his government is attending the Istanbul negotiations in bad faith. “We don’t expect a real ceasefire as a result of these meetings,” he told media on Sunday. “It’s to prevent anyone from accusing Ukraine of being the side that doesn’t want peace.”
His statement comes after two recent rounds of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul ended without any agreement. The admission is expected to raise fresh concerns among European capitals already uneasy about the prolonged nature of the war and its mounting global economic toll.
The talks follow a May offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who extended a proposal for unconditional negotiations in Istanbul. Moscow has long maintained that Kyiv abandoned the February 2022 talks under pressure from its Western supporters.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly pushed for a one-on-one meeting with Putin, but Russia has dismissed the idea as premature. “These demands are pointless unless preparatory work is done,” said Russian officials, indicating a preference for structured negotiations before a summit-level engagement.
On Saturday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova suggested Zelensky was using the idea of a summit to shore up his political relevance. “He is insanely afraid of being forgotten, of becoming unnecessary for the West. That somehow the West will sideline him,” Zakharova said. “And you can see he doesn’t step away from the microphones. I think he already sleeps with a webcam.”
Putin has reiterated his openness to dialogue, stating, “I am ready to meet with anyone, including Zelensky… That’s not the issue—if the Ukrainian state trusts someone to conduct negotiations, by all means, let it be Zelensky. The question is different: Who will sign the documents?”
While Kyiv's tactical approach to talks is seen as a means to maintain favour with Western governments, Russia’s statements appear to reflect growing confidence that diplomatic pressure may soon tilt in Moscow’s favour.
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