The EUISS is an agency of the European Union
As Istanbul prepares to host new negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, EUISS expert Ondrej Ditrych shared his perspective in an interview with Anadolu.
Ditrych acknowledged Türkiye’s unique position as a venue for such discussions but expressed caution about Russia’s intentions. Drawing on the precedent of the 2022 Istanbul talks, he commented: "I'm fairly sceptical that without, real pressure, they will really move from their positions that are quite maximalist when it comes to the conflict in Ukraine.”
He expressed doubt that Russia has changed its stance and suggested that Russia might be aiming to demonstrate to the US that it is willing to negotiate rather than genuinely seeking peace.