There is very little real action between Russia and Ukraine when it comes to peace negotiations, argues Asta Skaisgirytė, an adviser to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
“[The talks] are at a pseudo-negotiation point, if I may say so. There is a lot of talking, a lot of reports, but there is very little real action. What we have seen so far is a meeting in Istanbul, the result of which is very modest, an exchange of prisoners,” the foreign policy adviser told LRT RADIO on Friday.
On Wednesday, Russia proposed to hold a new round of talks with Ukraine in Istanbul next week and to present its plan for a peace deal. Kyiv said it needed to see the proposal in advance if the meeting was to produce results.
The first direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in three years took place in Istanbul on May 16. During the engagement, Moscow and Kyiv agreed on swapping 1,000 Russian prisoners for 1,000 Ukrainians.
“Prisoner exchanges took place before the Istanbul meeting, on more than one occasion. Perhaps the number of prisoners this time is bigger than before, but it, if I may say so, a common practice. No momentum was achieved in Istanbul,” Skaisgirytė argued.
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