West and Kyiv Eyes Turn to Talks
The United States monitors the evolving situation in Ukraine with careful attention, engaging in conversations with allied partners and even with Russian officials to prevent a broader crisis. General Mark Milley, chief of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with Fox News about these ongoing efforts, underscoring a cautious path toward dialogue.
There is always a risk that tensions could flare. Milley emphasized the importance of managing that risk and keeping any escalation from spiraling. He argued that pursuing a negotiated outcome is a sensible option and that both Moscow and Kyiv must come to that conclusion themselves, rather than having it imposed from outside.
In Kyiv, some observers sense progress toward dialogue, at least in the view of Turkish officials. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Turkey’s foreign minister, noted that Zelenskiy indicated a willingness to meet President Putin during the May 30, 2022 discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Çavuşoğlu quoted Zelenskiy as saying he wished to meet Putin, and Erdoğan, who also met Putin that day, suggested a trilateral meeting in Istanbul that would involve Russia, Ukraine, and the United Nations.
Is dialogue possible? Kyiv’s stance has shifted over time, prompting questions about the seriousness of negotiations. Zelensky previously signaled readiness to talk only after Russian forces fully withdrew from Ukrainian territory, a position the Russian Foreign Ministry described as unconstructive. He later stated that a meeting with Russian leadership would have to center exclusively on ending the war, with no other items on the agenda.
Observers from Russia interviewed by socialbites.ca suggest there is little appetite to alter Kyiv’s rhetoric. The sense is that while Kyiv occasionally revisits negotiation concepts, broad Western and American views on how the conflict might end and the consequences of any settlement have not generated real momentum for talks. Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Global Affairs, notes that the overall effect is a fluctuation rather than a decisive shift in posture. These cautions shape how the international community perceives any potential opening.
Vladimir Bruter of the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies argues that direct talks between Russia and Ukraine are not feasible at this moment due to a lack of clear dialogue. He humorously notes that Zelensky might be ready to negotiate with anyone, even with a higher power, but he questions what Kyiv and its Western partners would offer Russia for negotiations to move forward. A recent proposal from Italy to the United Nations, suggesting a peaceful arrangement granting Crimea and Donbass some autonomous status, was cited as an example of what could be on the table. Bruter contends that the proposal offers few tangible concessions to Russia and thus does not create a viable path to negotiation. Without a well-defined Western-Ukrainian position, negotiations appear unlikely and not appropriate for the moment.
So, what topics could be on the table for Moscow and Kyiv? Bruter indicates that the scope of possible discussions remains unclear. If Ukraine considered territorial concessions beyond Kherson and parts of the Zaporizhzhia region, questions would arise about whether the West would accept a border adjustment. Lukyanov agrees, noting that any significant concessions would imply the ceding of substantial territory, a move Kyiv does not appear ready to take. He adds that genuine momentum for negotiation would emerge only after a serious military setback for one side or a stalemate that curbs further gains. Until such conditions arise, neither side seems prepared for durable talks, according to Lukyanov.