Medvedev states Ukraine has ‘one last chance’
(MENAFN)
Ukraine’s current leadership has one final opportunity to retain some form of statehood after the conflict ends, according to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Speaking at a legal forum in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, Medvedev – now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council – urged Kiev to engage in direct peace negotiations with Moscow.
Ukraine’s current leadership has one final opportunity to retain some form of statehood after the conflict ends, according to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Speaking at a legal forum in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, Medvedev – now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council – urged Kiev to engage in direct peace negotiations with Moscow.
While admitting that Russia strongly disapproves of the current regime in Kiev, Medvedev suggested that Ukraine might still salvage a degree of sovereignty or international legal identity, if it agrees to certain conditions following the cessation of hostilities.
He described the Ukrainian government as lacking true sovereignty and functioning as a “quasi-state,” but affirmed that Moscow remains open to unconditional peace talks, provided they reflect the situation on the ground and address the conflict’s root causes.
Medvedev expressed concern over the absence of legitimate authorities in Ukraine capable of signing a lasting peace deal, warning that any agreement by current officials could be reversed by future governments.
President Vladimir Zelensky’s term officially ended last year, but elections have been postponed due to martial law and ongoing conflict. Despite questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy, the Kremlin recently indicated it may overlook this issue for the sake of restarting negotiations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that resuming the peace process is a top priority and that Zelensky’s legal status is a secondary concern.
The latest developments come after Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul for their first direct talks since Kiev withdrew from earlier peace efforts in 2022. Both sides reportedly agreed to a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees each and committed to preparing detailed ceasefire proposals for further discussions.
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