The talks began with the presence of the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoganand under the shadow of allegations that delegates had been poisoned in a previous round of talks in kyiv.
Erdogan called on the two countries to “put an end to this tragedy”, after acknowledging that “both parties have legitimate concerns” and that “It is possible to reach a solution that is acceptable to the international community.”
It has been more than a month since the tanks of the Russian president, Vladimir Putinentered Ukraine seeking to weaken or depose the democratic government in kyiv.
The fighting has left some 20,000 dead, according to estimates by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyand has forced more than 10 million people to leave their homes.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba indicated that the talks in Istanbul will focus on improve the humanitarian situationalthough he hinted at his skepticism about the result.
“If we see that the tone has changed and that they are ready for a serious, substantive conversation and a balanced agreement, then things will move forward,” he said. “But if it’s a repeat of their propaganda,” the talks will fail, he said.
Putin justified the invasion of Ukraine to carry out the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of the country, and now calls for the imposition of a status of neutrality and the recognition that the regions of donbas and crimea they are no longer part of this former Soviet republic.
But Kuleba indicated that there is little room for agreement on this: “We do not exchange people, land or sovereignty. Our position is firm.”
Ukraine also announced the restart of evacuations from several areas under Russian control in the south of the country, including from the besieged city of Mariupol, after a day of suspension for fear of Russian “provocations”.
Russian troops have surrounded this strategic port and are continuing to bombard it indiscriminately, trapping some 160,000 people with little food, water or medicine. But Ukrainian forces are struggling to retain control.
At least 5,000 people have died in that city, according to a senior Ukrainian official, who estimates the true death toll could be as high as 100,000.
On MikolaivIn another key city in the south, local Governor Vitaly Kim said a Russian attack hit the regional administration headquarters on Tuesday, with rescue teams searching for eight civilians and three military personnel under the rubble. AFP journalists at the scene were able to see how two lifeless bodies were extracted.
Ukraine still believes that Russia wants to take kyiv and dismisses the idea that the Kremlin will focus on the eastern Donbas region.
On Monday, Russian strikes near kyiv left more than 80,000 homes without power, officials said, reiterating the danger still facing the city.
On the outskirts of the suburban town of Irpina key access point to kyiv, AFP journalists said they heard the sound of sporadic shell fire on Tuesday, a day after Ukraine announced it had recaptured it.
With ground fighting stalling and Russian casualties mounting, Russia appears to be resorting to increasingly brutal tactics.
Western powers have said they have proof of war crimeswhich are being investigated by the International Criminal Court.
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said there is evidence Russian forces have used cluster bombs – banned in 2010 by an international convention – in the southern areas of Odessa and Kherson.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) traveled to Ukraine “for talks with government officials” in order to provide “technical assistance” to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities, the UN agency said on Tuesday.
Source: Ambito
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