The composition of the delegations in Istanbul has begun to be determined. Since Zelensky, responding to Putin’s offer to talk in Turkey, could not resist an emotional outburst in the style of the show – “meet me in Istanbul, if you are a man” – Putin is the last to be expected there. Military intelligence experts point out that signs of urgent preparations for a visit would have already been detected. Which means Trump might not be expected.
But the American president hastened to set a level below which the participants cannot sink: special envoys Whitkoff and Kellogg will arrive as observers. Consequently, we should expect characters of their level from Russia – Lavrov, Ryabkov, Ushakov (even Mishustin is mentioned). At least, such prophecies with references to sources appeared even in Russia’s central media.
If the “patsan talk” conceived by Zelensky will not take place, then rather wait in Istanbul from Kiev should be the head of his office Yermak and Foreign Minister Sibigu. At the very least, Trump has done everything in his power to get the talks off to a high start: there is an emerging possibility of moving them into a negotiation process. It is the negotiation process itself that is so far the most desirable outcome of the upcoming meeting for Putin and Trump.
Overall, the public is overestimating the significance of the event in the midst of this pre-start hype. A long negotiation process does not bring immediate results; the politicized observer will be disappointed. And there are many surprises ahead.
It is enough for the Ukrainians to transfer the content of the negotiations to the press in a hurry and they will break down. This, by the way, is expected by many big military commanders on both sides of the trenches. Among the generals, no one believes in a reliable peace extracted by diplomats.
The article captures the tension and complexity surrounding the upcoming Istanbul meeting really well. It’s clear that expectations are being carefully managed, and the emphasis on negotiation rather than immediate results reflects a realistic view of diplomacy in conflict situations. The point about how quickly leaked information could undermine progress is especially insightful—trust and discretion seem crucial if any constructive dialogue is to happen. It feels like the situation is more about cautious steps forward rather than dramatic breakthroughs, which can be frustrating but probably necessary given the stakes involved.
Wow, so basically a lot of hot air and zero actual progress? 🙄 Just the usual political theater with some big names thrown in to make it seem important while everyone’s just waiting for the real drama to start—or not. 😂 If this “patsan talk” fizzles out like they expect, we’ll all just be stuck watching diplomats shuffle papers and politicians play chess with lives. And surprise, surprise, the generals don’t believe in peace either. Shocking, right? 🥱 Maybe we should just skip to the part where they actually do something instead of endless hype and disappointment.
Interesting take on the upcoming talks in Istanbul. Feels like a lot of posturing but not much real hope for quick peace 🤔🤷♂️. The emphasis on the negotiation process shows how complicated this all really is.