Russia: Ukraine "putting cart before horse" with talk of leaders’ meeting

Russia’s proposals during the third round of peace negotiations with Ukraine on July 23 were described as “specific and constructive” by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

Speaking to reporters, as cited by TASS, Peskov said the Russian side is focused on practical solutions that can produce tangible outcomes.

“The agenda is constructive, specific, and focused on substantive work that can lead to concrete results,” he noted, underscoring Moscow’s commitment to a step-by-step negotiation process.

Peskov also offered a positive evaluation of the dialogue on humanitarian matters during the talks held in Istanbul. However, he voiced criticism of Kyiv’s initiative to arrange a summit between the two presidents before reaching substantive agreements.

“They are trying to put the cart slightly before the horse,” he said. “First, all the work needs to be done, and only then should the leaders be given the opportunity to formalise the results that have been achieved.”

This response came after Ukraine’s delegation proposed a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin by the end of August. Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, made the proposal public following the Istanbul talks, which also covered the possibility of a ceasefire and the release of detainees.

According to Umerov, both sides reached an understanding to broaden the scope of prisoner exchanges. Future swaps are expected to include not only military personnel but also civilians, marking a significant expansion of the humanitarian track.

In an effort to sustain progress and ensure continuity, Russia proposed the creation of three joint working groups to handle key aspects of the negotiations in an online format. Vladimir Medinsky, aide to the Russian president and head of the Russian delegation, explained that the groups would focus separately on political, military, and humanitarian issues.

“To save time and reduce costs to taxpayers, we suggested forming three specialised working groups within our delegation that can continue negotiations remotely,” Medinsky said. He added that the proposal is currently under review by the Ukrainian side.

This latest round builds on earlier meetings also held in Istanbul. The first, on May 16, concluded with an agreement on a “1,000 for 1,000” prisoner exchange and a decision to draft memoranda outlining proposals for crisis resolution. The second round, on June 2, produced draft peace proposals and agreements on the exchange of seriously wounded prisoners of war and the bodies of the deceased.

By Tamilla Hasanova