Speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that key agreements to end the war must be reached directly between Russia and Ukraine. He said that the US, China and other states could facilitate this process. He also reported that contacts with Kyiv were continuing, although no new round of talks has been publicly announced.
Briefly about the main points
- Putin described direct agreements between Moscow and Kyiv as the basis for a settlement.
- He assigned other states the role of supporting the negotiation process.
- Putin stated that Russia’s contacts with Ukraine are continuing.
- The Kremlin had not previously confirmed the venue or the date of the next meeting.
- The parties did not announce any ceasefire agreements.
Putin described China as a supporter of a political settlement
Separately Putin He mentioned China. He stated that Beijing consistently emphasises a political settlement, and the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping raises the subject end of war during private conversations with him.
The Russian President described this approach as the right one and said that Moscow was grateful to those countries seeking to facilitate the negotiation process. On 1 September, the Chinese authorities also stated on supporting efforts aimed at a political settlement.
Putin has reported having been in contact with Kyiv
Putin said that contacts between Russia and Ukraine are continuing, but did not give any details about the nature of these contacts. He added that he sees a chance of resolving the war.
By the end of June, he was already talking about contacts «across several areas and channels» and about proposals that had allegedly come from the Ukrainian side. At the end of August, the Ukrainian authorities raised the possibility of technical consultations in the near future, whilst not expecting a swift agreement.
There is no official date set for a new full-scale round of talks between Russia and Ukraine. At the end of August, the Kremlin stated that no specific agreements had been reached regarding the venue and timing of the next meeting.
Disagreements over the terms of the settlement remain
The day before, Putin had stated that Russia was allegedly seeking not a ceasefire but an end to the war, and was prepared to discuss a long-term settlement. At the same time, Moscow links this to its demands regarding territory and security.
The parties’ positions on key issues remain significantly divergent. Kyiv has refused to agree to further territorial concessions, whilst Russia is demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbas, particularly from areas over which it does not have full control. There is no agreement on a cessation of hostilities, and the terms of a possible settlement have not been publicly agreed.
