War in Ukraine: an “oral” agreement would have been found between the two delegations

More than a month after the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the negotiations between the two countries could finally succeed. The two parties reportedly reached an agreement orally yesterday during talks between the two delegations. Russian President Vladimir Putin is said to be ready to meet his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.

If the meeting takes place, it should be held in Turkey, in the city of Ankara or Istanbul, according to the oral agreement concluded, explains the chief Ukrainian negotiator, David Arakhamia: “The Russian delegation has already declared orally that ‘She did not oppose Ukraine’s proposals expressed during the bilateral talks in Istanbul, with the exception of the Crimea issue,’ he said in a television interview.

Change of strategy on the ground

For its part, Moscow is calling for a referendum on Ukraine’s neutrality. A vote that would be “the only way out of this situation”, according to them. If the Ukrainians do not agree to such a status, the two camps “will either return to a state of war or to new negotiations”, announces the Ukrainian government. Kyiv is now awaiting written confirmation.

Because, on the ground, the situation remains difficult, especially in eastern Ukraine. Russia has announced a change of strategy and a focus on the Donbass region. An important victory for kyiv but which remains to be qualified, explains the specialist in European issues, Patrick Martin-Genier: “We have seen that the Russian forces there are at the end of their strength and that they need to be reconstituted. does not mean that the Russians are definitely backing down and giving up any offensive. But today they want to put all their forces into Donbass, because they absolutely want to recover this region and they also want to recover Mariupol.”