New round of peace negotiations between Russia, Ukraine begins in Istanbul

(MENAFN) A new round of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine begins Monday in Istanbul, with both parties expected to bring forward ceasefire proposals. Russia’s offer reportedly builds on its long-standing demands—commonly referred to as the “Istanbul-22 plus territory” formula. This includes Ukraine severing military ties with the West, abandoning what Moscow calls “anti-Russian ideology,” and accepting current territorial realities as permanent borders.

Though some argue talks are pointless while fighting continues, this marks the first time in three years that Russia is presenting its conditions in written form. Even without signatures, this move provides Moscow with a stronger diplomatic foundation, reinforcing President Putin’s repeated demands.

Ukraine is arriving with its own proposal, believed to be a revision of the draft previously brought to London in April. That version was reportedly rejected by Washington, halting progress at that summit. At the heart of Ukraine’s proposal is a demand for concrete international security guarantees, meaning Western countries would commit to military defense—not just political support. Such guarantees have been elusive since 2022, when UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson declined to formalize them. That reluctance persists.

Aware that its negotiating terms may be dismissed, Ukraine appears to be using military pressure to influence the talks. On Sunday, just a day before negotiations, kamikaze drones hit five Russian military airfields across the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed it repelled three of the attacks, while two caused limited damage.

The drones were reportedly launched from cargo trucks and navigated remotely via mobile networks—methods reminiscent of past high-profile operations like the 2022 attack on the Crimean Bridge, where truck drivers may have been unknowingly involved. Whether similar tactics were used this time remains unverified.

This pattern of bold, high-risk military actions ahead of major strategic turning points is nothing new for Ukraine. In 2022, the Kharkov and Kherson offensives yielded rare battlefield gains. In 2023, a much-anticipated counteroffensive fell flat. By early 2024, Ukraine attempted to push into Russia’s Kursk region but was swiftly repelled back into Sumy oblast.

Whether the latest wave of drone strikes will reshape the strategic balance—or merely serve as another symbolic move—remains uncertain. But it follows a familiar Ukrainian playbook: launching dramatic operations to try and reset a war that increasingly seems to be slipping from its grasp.

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