Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed openness to peace negotiations with Ukraine, proposing that India, China, and Brazil could serve as mediators in these discussions. This statement was made during a session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, where President Putin emphasized Russia’s readiness to engage in talks based on a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul at the onset of the conflict, which was ultimately never ratified.

Putin’s comments reflect a shift in stance, coming months after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Moscow and more recently to Ukraine—an unprecedented diplomatic move by an Indian leader in decades. Previously, the Russian President had dismissed the idea of negotiations in light of Ukraine’s incursions into the Russian Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a significant offensive in August, capturing several villages.

During the forum, Putin reiterated, “Are we ready to negotiate with them? We have never refused to do so, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of those documents that were agreed and actually initialled in Istanbul.” This implies that Russia seeks to return to the terms laid out in the earlier talks, which the Kremlin claims reflected a mutual understanding with respect to the conflict’s resolution.

Furthermore, the Russian leader asserted that Russia and Ukraine were indeed on the cusp of a significant agreement in spring 2022, following the onset of the military offensive by Russia. He stated, “We managed to reach an agreement, that is the whole point. The signature of the head of the Ukrainian delegation who initialled this document testifies to this, which means that the Ukrainian side was generally satisfied with the agreements reached.”

Putin contended that the agreement did not go into effect due to direct instructions from Western powers, suggesting that the interests of certain elites in the United States and Europe impeded progress towards a peaceful resolution.

In conclusion, President Putin’s willingness to reconsider dialogue, contingent upon pre-existing agreements, may pose a new avenue for potential mediation in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, specifically through the involvement of nations such as India, China, and Brazil, which he deems significant players on the global diplomatic stage.

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