Russia has indicated that a draft peace agreement negotiated with Ukraine in the early days of the conflict could serve as a basis for future talks to end the fighting. The Kremlin spokesperson mentioned that the document discussed in Istanbul in March 2022 might be used as a starting point for negotiations, although any future talks would need to consider the 'new realities' that have emerged since then.
In September 2022, Russia annexed four Ukrainian regions, a move that has been rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies as unlawful. The draft document from the Istanbul discussions reportedly included provisions for Ukraine's neutral status, limitations on its armed forces, and delayed talks on the status of Russian-occupied areas. However, no agreement was reached, and negotiations collapsed shortly after.
