Arpita Kushwaha / theindiaprint
Moscow: In what seems to be an extension of an olive branch to Ukraine, the Kremlin has revived a proposal that Ukraine had rejected: a draft peace deal that Russia and Ukraine developed in the early stages of the war might be the basis for negotiations to stop hostilities.
The draft paper that was reviewed in Istanbul in March 2022, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, would serve as “the basis for starting negotiations.”
Simultaneously, he noted that the “new realities” would have to be included in any potential future discussions. “Our constitution has undergone numerous modifications since then, incorporating new entities,” Peskov said.
Weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, a paper was purportedly debated in Istanbul that delayed negotiations on the status of Russian-occupied territory and contained stipulations for Ukraine’s neutral status and military force limitations.
The discussions broke up shortly after that round of talks since no agreement could be achieved.
The peace plan proposed by Ukraine, which called on Moscow to withdraw its soldiers, make restitution, and appear before an international tribunal, has been rejected by Russia.
