On the eve of historic new peace talks, Hajo Funke, a political scientist at the Free University of Berlin, emphasized that there is no better place than Istanbul for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
On May 11, Russian President Putin proposed resuming the direct negotiations in Istanbul that were cut off three years ago, this time without preconditions, and requested Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan host the new peace talks in Istanbul this Thursday. Ukraine responded positively to the proposal, and the international community hailed the holding of new peace talks in Istanbul.
“Meeting in Istanbul is a sign of hope,” Funke told Anadolu.
2022 RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS
Funke stated that under Erdoğan’s mediation, significant progress was made in the 2022 negotiations. However, the efforts ultimately failed due to NATO’s intervention, particularly interference from the US’ Joe Biden administration and the British administration of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who were then in office, which blocked what Zelenskyy sought.
He explained that Johnson’s visit to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv in early April in 2022, along with then-US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s statement about weakening Russia to prevent future aggression, signaled a clear escalation in the conflict.
Funke said that during that period, there were 30,000 dead and wounded in the war, but now, over three years later, the number has risen to hundreds of thousands. He said: “It’s time to pick up the signal from Istanbul again. And that’s how Vladimir Putin phrased it, we want to continue the interrupted talks.”
‘ISTANBUL IS THE SUITABLE PLACE’
Emphasizing that Türkiye has been accepted as a mediator by both sides in different ways, he said: “Therefore, Istanbul is the suitable place. There is no better place.”
Noting that neither the Saudi capital Riyadh nor Western European or Western capitals are suitable for this, he said: “Istanbul is the best and maybe the last chance to come to a compromise.”
Whether Putin’s participation in the talks is expected, Funke stated that Putin would only come if the possibility of success in the negotiations is clear.
He said that petty games like “I only want it if the other side comes” are not serious matters, stressing that serious negotiations are based on the overlapping interests of both sides.
“It’s about more than that. It’s about ending the war. It’s about preventing further tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of deaths and injuries. It’s about a devastated country, particularly Ukraine,” he said.
Funke highlighted that the key challenge for both countries lies in making progress on security and territorial agreements. He emphasized that if progress is made by Thursday, it could be a positive start, but the outcome would only be clear by then.
EUROPE’S STANCE
On European leaders’ recent visit to Kyiv, on May 10, Funke said that was a signal that should not be overestimated in its significance.
He criticized new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statement that the European Union would tighten sanctions if Russia does not accept peace proposals, saying: “It is a sign of solidarity, certainly. But the attempt to force things through ultimatums, like the one from Merz, our chancellor, has already failed in recent days. One doesn’t make ultimatums when one doesn’t know that they will lead to something.”
Funke also noted that US President Donald Trump asked the Ukrainian and Russian leaders to focus on the issues and engage in negotiations seriously. He added that they may come to Istanbul, but it’s uncertain if both will attend or if one might leave early.
Funke emphasized that even if the negotiations fail this time, he suggested that talks will continue, and if Ukraine has a chance for compromise, so does Putin, with Trump putting serious pressure on both sides.
He added that Germany, France, and the UK have only recently shown support for Ukraine, and their failure to initiate peace efforts over the past three years highlights their weakness.