Moscow’s next move could signal compliance with US peace demands

 It’s been almost four years since Russian troops invaded eastern Ukraine with the intention of taking over the Donbas region and igniting one of the biggest and deadliest conflicts seen in Europe in the past decades. However, for the first time, it appears that the Kremlin could cave in to the call for peace.

News website The Kyiv Independent reveals that US officers claim that Moscow’s negotiators have taken a softer, more pragmatic approach while, on the outside, the Kremlin maintains a hardline stance over Ukraine. “They usually say their maximalist demands, and then they allow their private negotiating teams to work with flexibility,” one US official believed. “That's something that's been happening for a long time.”

Ukrainian officials viewed the attitude of Russian representatives in a different light than their American counterparts, noting that even basic manners are seen as a sign of progress. “If everyone is polite, that's seen as a positive sign,” a Ukrainian official told The Kyiv Independent.

Trilateral talks with representatives of Moscow, Washington, and Kyiv took place this weekend in the United Arab Emirates, and the Russian government seems to be pleased with the groundwork laid for further dialogue. “It would be a mistake to expect any significant results from the initial contacts. But the very fact that these contacts have begun in a constructive spirit can be viewed positively. However, there is significant work ahead,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, as quoted by Irish broadcaster RTÉ.

However, Peskov added that Moscow remains steadfast to its territorial demands, with Putin consistently declaring his intentions to annex the whole Donbas. According to RTÉ, Russian troops currently control about 90% of the eastern Ukrainian region. “It's no secret that this is our consistent position, the position of our president, that the territorial issue, which is part of the Anchorage formula, is of fundamental importance to the Russian side,” Peskov underscored.

Euronews remarks that quite a few European politicians have criticized the US-brokered peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul welcomed the trilateral talks but complained about European countries being left out of the conversation: “Europe must be at the table when decisions are made about the security order of our continent, and Russia must know that our commitment to diplomacy does not come at the expense of our determination to support Ukraine.”

Wadephul also admitted being skeptical about Moscow’s seemingly new openness during the UAE talks. “What I am hearing and reading today, including from the negotiations in the United Arab Emirates, is only Russia's stubborn insistence on the crucial territorial issue,” declared, as quoted by Euronews. “And if there is no flexibility here, I fear that the negotiations may still take a long time or may not be successful at this stage.”

One thing is certain: the path taken by Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv towards peace is long, slow, and arduous, with numerous obstacles in the way. There’s also a big possibility that, despite all the effort, it could actually lead nowhere.