Istanbul Peace Talks: Russia Promises To Reduce Military Operations, Ukraine Proposes Neutral Status Without Political-military Alliance

Russia's peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

JAKARTA - Positive news came from Istanbul, where peace talks between Russia and Ukraine were held on Tuesday, with Russia pledging to reduce its military operations and Ukraine proposing a neutral status.

The talks at a palace in Istanbul come as the Russian invasion has been halted on most fronts by strong resistance, with Ukraine retaking territory in a counterattack, as civilians are trapped in besieged cities.

"In order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations, achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (a) agreement, the decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the direction of Kyiv and Chernihiv," the deputy said. Russian Defense Minister Alexander Fomin told reporters, citing Reuters March 29.

The Russian General Staff will reveal more details about the decision once the Russian delegation returns to Moscow, Fomin added. The talks held in Istanbul on Tuesday were the first face-to-face meetings between the two sides since March 10.

Meanwhile, the Ukraine proposal at the talks is the most detailed that has been publicly aired by both sides.

Ukrainian negotiators said that under their proposal, Ukraine would agree not to join the alliance or host foreign troop bases, but would have guaranteed security in terms similar to 'Article 5', NATO's collective defense clause.

In this regard, Ukraine identified Israel and NATO members Canada, Poland and Turkey as countries that could help provide such assurances. Russia, USA, UK, Germany and Italy can also provide guarantees.

The proposal would include a 15-year consultation period on Russia's annexed Crimea status, and could only take effect in the event of a complete ceasefire, negotiators said.

As for the fate of the southeastern Donbas region, which Russia demands that Ukraine be handed over to the separatists, it will be set aside for discussion by the Ukrainian and Russian leaders, they added. Any peace deal would require a referendum in Ukraine.

Russia's top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said he would examine the Ukraine proposal and report it to President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Ukrainian negotiators called for a meeting between President Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

"If we succeed in consolidating these key provisions, then Ukraine will be in a position to actually improve its current status as a non-aligned and non-nuclear state in the form of permanent neutrality," said Ukrainian delegate Oleksander Chaly.

"We will not host foreign military bases on our territory, as well as deploy military contingents on our territory, and we will not enter into military-political alliances," he said. Military exercises will be carried out with the approval of the guarantor countries.

As previously reported, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke before the delegations of the two countries. NATO member Turkey, which shares maritime borders with Ukraine and Russia on the Black Sea, has good relations with both and has offered to mediate in the conflict. While calling the Moscow invasion unacceptable, Ankara also opposes Western sanctions.