A miracle breakthrough should not be expected in the third round of negotiations in Istanbul, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said
Russia does not expect a breakthrough “of the miraculous kind” in the upcoming peace negotiations with Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
The third round of talks is expected to take place this week in Istanbul, where the two sides met in May and June.
During the previous round last month, the two delegations exchanged draft memorandums on peace terms and agreed to humanitarian measures, including the return of prisoners of war and transferring the remains of soldiers.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Peskov said Russia hopes the next meeting will be held this week, adding that the date will be announced once both sides are ready.
According to the spokesman, the upcoming session will include discussions of the memorandums shared earlier, among other topics.
Asked about Moscow’s expectations for the upcoming talks, Peskov said, “there is no reason to count on any miraculous breakthroughs,” as the situation is too complex.
Peskov pushed back, however, against suggestions that the talks will be fruitless. He pointed to previous progress, such as the humanitarian exchanges, saying they represent tangible results.
He reiterated that Russia expects to secure its interests and “fulfill the tasks that we set from the very beginning.”
Asked whether a peace deal could be expected within a year or any other time period, Peskov said, “Any forecasts would be wrong” due to the number of variables involved.
