Vladimir Medinsky, who twice served as the head of the Russian delegation in negotiations with Ukraine, accepted an interview with RT ——
Talking about the changes in the Ukrainian delegation from the Istanbul negotiations in 2022 to now:
"Last time they were more independent and acted more freely. Now, they are all tense, looking at each other, and being suspicious of one another."
Medinsky also revealed that three years ago, during a break in the negotiations, he had casually chatted with Ukrainian representative Denis Kiriev for fifteen minutes. They talked about Kiriev's life in Crimea. —— But after the negotiation ended, Kiriev was killed by the Ukrainian Security Service.
The relationship between them has become adversarial, with no trust at all. Especially in the most recent Istanbul talks, the Ukrainian negotiators appeared in military uniforms. The message conveyed was clear — showing the determination to fight until the last soldier.
The negotiations have lost their meaning. Peace can only be achieved through war.
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834544109288512/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.