Rapid Progress in Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks?... Russian Representative Says "Not a Ceasefire" (Summary)

Zelensky "Russian Attacks Won't Cease"... Alert
Russian Delegation "Tension Reduction, Not Ceasefire" Clarifies
US "Russia to Begin Military Redeployment" Warns Against Delay

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Although some progress was reportedly made during the 5th peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, the ceasefire agreement ultimately collapsed, leading to cautious skepticism about the prospects of the talks both inside and outside Ukraine. In particular, the U.S. government criticized Russia for stalling to buy time for military redeployment and warned against excessive optimism.

The Russian negotiation representative also drew a line by stating that no ceasefire agreement was reached and that they plan to reduce attacks in the northern regions of Ukraine as a tension-relief measure, raising concerns that bilateral hostilities will not easily subside. In the southern regions such as Mykolaiv, where Russian offensives are concentrated, dozens of casualties were reported due to Russian airstrikes.

Zelensky: "No Reason to Trust Delegation's Words"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to AFP and others on the 29th (local time), President Zelensky, in a video address following the conclusion of the 5th negotiations, said, "The signals coming from the talks can be described as positive," but warned, "However, the presence of these signals does not mean explosions or Russian attacks have ceased. There is no reason to trust the words of a delegation from a country that continues to fight to destroy us."

He added, "One should not expect that peace negotiations will influence the lifting of sanctions against Russia," emphasizing, "Sanctions will not be lifted until the war ends, we reclaim what is ours, and justice is restored. On the contrary, the level of sanctions should be strengthened." He reiterated, "Ukraine supports the talks and will continue the negotiation process within the necessary scope, but Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be guaranteed."

Earlier that day, Ukrainian and Russian delegations held the 5th peace negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey. The talks, which lasted four hours, were evaluated as having achieved some progress. Ukraine proposed accepting Russia's neutralization if security guarantees are secured and suggested consulting with Russia on the status of the Crimean Peninsula over the next 15 years. The Russian side promised to pursue a summit between President Vladimir Putin and President Zelensky and to reduce military activities around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

However, a comprehensive bilateral ceasefire agreement was not reached, and bombings continued in the southern regions where Russian offensives are concentrated. In Mykolaiv, a gateway to Ukraine's largest port city Odesa, 12 people were reported dead and 33 injured due to Russian airstrikes that day.

Russian Negotiation Representative: "No Ceasefire... Long Way to Agreement"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The Russian negotiation representative also drew a line, stating that no ceasefire agreement was reached between the two sides. Vladimir Medinsky, presidential aide leading the Russian delegation, told the state-run TASS news agency, "This announcement of a tension-relief plan is by no means a promise of a ceasefire," adding, "There is still a long way to go to prepare a peace agreement at a mutually acceptable level."

In particular, the two countries reportedly have difficulty finding common ground on the Donbas issue. According to CNN, the Ukrainian delegation demanded as a precondition for an agreement with Russia that Russian forces withdraw to the positions held before February 23, when Russia began military activities in the Donbas region. CNN reported that no agreement related to the Donbas issue was reached during the bilateral talks that day.

However, Russia continues to insist that Ukraine demand the separation and independence of Donbas and remains firm in its intention not to withdraw troops until the Donbas issue is resolved. On the same day, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said in a video conference, "Overall, the main tasks of the first phase of the military operation have been completed," emphasizing, "Accordingly, efforts can now focus on achieving the main objective of the operation, the liberation of Donbas, and the special military operation will continue until the goal is achieved."

U.S.: "Russia is Redeploying, Not Withdrawing... We Will Watch Closely"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The U.S. government warned that Russia is stalling for time and that vigilance must not be relaxed. At a joint press conference held immediately after a meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden said, "We will not make any assumptions until we see them take action," emphasizing, "Until then, we will continue strong sanctions, support the Ukrainian military to defend themselves, and watch carefully what is happening."

The U.S. Department of Defense expressed a cautious stance, stating that Russian forces are redeploying rather than withdrawing. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby criticized, "Russian forces are not actually withdrawing but redeploying," adding, "The threat to Kyiv has not ended." He claimed that Russia is stalling to concentrate forces and redeploy, and after completing troop redeployment, will resume offensives.

CNN, citing U.S. officials, pointed out, "No one should be deceived by Russia's announcements; rather, we must prepare for further Russian aggression," noting, "The movement of Russian forces from Kyiv to other areas is not a withdrawal but a redeployment to launch offensives elsewhere, and the world must prepare for large-scale offensives in other parts of Ukraine."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.