Russia warns Ukraine not to listen to NATO
(MENAFN) Ukraine would stand a better chance of resolving its conflict with Russia if it resisted NATO’s negative influence, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. On Saturday, Zakharova commented on remarks made by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga following the recent Istanbul negotiations — the first direct talks between Moscow and Kiev since 2022. The meeting resulted in an agreement on a major prisoner exchange and the sharing of initial ceasefire proposals.
Sibiga, reflecting on the outcome, acknowledged the return of 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners as a meaningful achievement. “Even if we disregard all the Russian provocations and propaganda, getting 1,000 of our people back makes this effort worthwhile,” he said.
Zakharova responded by highlighting that the negotiations were initiated by Russia and personally supported by President Vladimir Putin, despite initial mockery from Ukrainian leadership. She added that, beneath the rhetoric, Sibiga indirectly recognized the value of Russia’s proposals.
“The key point,” Zakharova said, “is that Ukrainians should not let NATO advisers mislead them into serving foreign interests at the expense of peace.”
Initial peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul in 2022, not long after the conflict escalated. The discussions reportedly made headway, with Ukraine tentatively agreeing to a neutral stance. However, the talks later collapsed after Kiev withdrew from the process.
Moscow has blamed Western interference — particularly from then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson — for derailing the negotiations. Although Johnson denied the claim, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia later confirmed that Johnson had a significant impact on Kiev's decision to halt talks.
Russia has since repeatedly accused the West of prolonging the conflict by using Ukraine as a proxy against Moscow. However, it has noted a shift in the U.S. stance toward seeking resolution under President Donald Trump.
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