Moscow Again Signals ‘Readiness’ for Negotiations With Ukraine – But on Whose Terms?

Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Turkey, Alexey Ivanov, has claimed that Moscow remains “ready to resume direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side,” according to comments published by Russian media.

“The Russian side has repeatedly emphasized that we are ready to continue direct negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation,” Ivanov said.

“Our Turkish partners consistently stress that the Istanbul platform remains available to us, and these doors remain open.”

Ivanov added that Moscow would be prepared to begin such talks “at any moment,” should Kyiv “demonstrate political will.”

Ivanov noted that Russia had previously submitted a number of proposals during earlier negotiation rounds, including initiatives to establish three online working groups.

“Unfortunately, we have not yet received a positive response from the Ukrainian side,” he said.

Earlier President Volodymyr Zelensky repeatedly stated that Ukraine is ready for a meeting in any format that works. The main thing is the content and fairness of the agreements, the president added.

According to media reports, during a closed-door meeting in Istanbul on May 16, Russian representatives presented a new set of conditions for a ceasefire, which reportedly included Ukraine’s renunciation of its territories and claims for reparations.

In June, several outlets revealed that the memorandum Russia transmitted to Ukraine maintained the same ultimatum-like demands, including Kyiv’s recognition of Russian occupation over Ukrainian lands.

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On Tuesday, Nov. 11, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov announced that he had arrived in Istanbul for meetings aimed at restarting the stalled prisoner exchange process.

“In the coming days, I’ll be working in Turkey and the Middle East to unblock the exchange process. The agreement exists – and it must be implemented,” Umerov wrote on social media.

He said he plans to hold talks in Turkey on reviving prisoner swaps, though he did not specify with whom the meetings would take place.

According to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, as of October, 69 exchanges had been conducted since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, bringing 6,235 Ukrainian citizens home from captivity.