Alwaght- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba have arrived in Antalya for Turkish-mediated talks.
Moscow’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Lavrov was set to depart for the Turkish city of Antalya on Wednesday, with local media reports later noting that both he and Kuleba had arrived for the peace negotiations, set for Thursday at the Regnum Carya Hotel, reported RT news.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu first announced the planned meeting on Monday, voicing hopes it would mark “a turning point and... an important step towards peace and stability.” He said the talks were brokered following “intensive diplomatic efforts” by Ankara, and that he would be present for the dialogue.
The meeting is following three rounds of peace talks hosted by Belarus, a neighbor to Russia and Ukraine. So far they failed to reach an agreement.
Russia demands disarming Kiev and assurances that Ukraine would never join the US-dominated NATO.
Russia started its campaign two weeks ago, targeting the Ukrainian military infrastructure. It says so far it destroyed much of the Ukrainian military capabilities, including its air force.
Moscow also says its “special military operation” was launched in defense of the two separatist republics in the Donbass region, though the mission has since extended into major Ukrainian cities. Kiev, meanwhile, has denounced the attack as unprovoked, insisting it had no plans to reclaim the separatist areas by force.
Western-swayed Ukraine negotiations
Moscow says it welcomes an openness to its demands in the negotiations and it will halt its operation if assurances are made that no threat to its national security will exist from the Ukrainian side.
The Russian officials, however, rejected to stop the operations in Ukraine during the talks, seeming to pressure Kiev leaders.
Crippling sanctions were imposed on Moscow, targeting its financial system and energy sector.
When it comes to Ukraine, the talks, it seems, are not a matter of national independence because the Ukrainian negotiators have to fulfill an American agenda. The reality is that the US has its own instructions for them and any Kiev concessions to Moscow would be viewed as Washington concessions.
The Americans have been providing arms, including anti-tank missiles, to the Ukrainians along with their allies. Still, they do not want a confrontation with Russia.
Russia accuses "Kiev regime" of being a puppet to the US. But Kiev argues it had no plan to attack breakaway regions of Dontesk and Luhansk in the east.
The Americans may have to concede to the Russian demands at the end of the road as the Russian forces are pushing President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to the wall by tightening the noose on the capital.
The next-level talks may bear the signs of the Western readiness to make compromises to Russia whose economy will incur huge damage under the sanctions and so is interested in a solution.
