According to The Washington Post, citing diplomats and officials familiar with the matter on 17 August, Ukraine and Russia were set to engage in indirect talks in Qatar this month to negotiate an agreement halting strikes on energy and power infrastructure. This potential partial ceasefire was aimed at providing relief for both countries.
The negotiations, with Qatar serving as mediator, were reportedly derailed by Ukraine’s surprise incursion into western Russia’s Kursk Oblast on 6 August. The talks and possible agreement have not been previously reported.
A diplomat briefed on the talks reported that Russian officials postponed their meeting with Qatari officials after Ukraine’s incursion, describing it as “an escalation,” as per WP. In a response to the Washington Post’s questions, the Ukrainian presidential office stated that the summit was postponed “due to the situation in the Middle East” but would take place in a video conference format on 22 August 2024.
The WP says some negotiators hoped these talks could lead to a more comprehensive agreement to end the war. The willingness to engage in negotiations signaled a potential shift for both countries, at least regarding a limited ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously stated that Kyiv would only consider a full ceasefire if Russia first withdrew all troops from Ukrainian territory, including Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine cede four Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin has declared as part of Russia.
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