If pressure on Russia is increased, Istanbul meetings could yield results – Foreign Ministry
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy called for increased pressure on Russia, which continues to reject US peace efforts and refuses an unconditional ceasefire.
"… We urge partners not to wait for anything - to increase pressure on Russia. If this pressure had been there earlier, there could have been results from the Istanbul meetings. Since there is no pressure, instead we see almost empty meetings," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday.
Tykhy noted that these meetings led to a limited result on the humanitarian track, which is very important for Ukraine. "But apart from the humanitarian track - the exchange of prisoners - there were no other results from these meetings. Due to the unconstructive position of the Russian Federation," Tykhy said.
He also stressed that Russia is putting forward ultimatums and unrealistic demands to Ukraine.
"We are very glad that the track of returning prisoners of war is moving forward, but all other tracks, unfortunately, are not moving. Therefore, the question arises: what does this format of meetings produce? What does it achieve?" he said.
Tykhy emphasized that the teams of the coordination headquarters, the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and representatives of the Russian Federation are already working on exchanges, which happened even without the meetings in Istanbul.
"For this, it is not necessary to send an entire defense minister abroad to achieve exchanges. If it is only about exchanges," - the spokesman emphasized.
Tykhy emphasized that neither before nor after the last meeting in Istanbul was there a response from the Russian Federation to the plan transmitted in advance by Ukraine.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized that a meeting at the highest level is necessary to consider fundamental issues, and President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready.
"We see from the Russian side that they are avoiding the meeting," said Tykhy.
At the same time, the spokesman noted that the format of the meeting of the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia was not discussed.
"As of now, I don't know. And it's not about the format, but the results. If Lavrov was ready to come and make a decision on an unconditional ceasefire for 30 or more days, then such a meeting could take place," he added.
