Russian and Ukrainian negotiators began the first direct peace talks in more than two weeks on Tuesday in Istanbul, with the surprise presence of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich – who has come under Western sanctions after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The two teams sat facing each other at a long table in the presidential office, with the Russian oligarch seated in the front row of observers wearing a blue suit, a Turkish presidential video showed.
Three sources confirmed the unexpected presence of Abramovich, who has visited the country since the beginning of the war and has two of his superyachts moored in Turkish resorts.
In a speech ahead of the Bosphorus negotiations, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told delegations that the time had come for concrete results and that progress would pave the way for a meeting of the two countries’ leaders.
“It is up to the [dois] sides stop this tragedy. Achieving a ceasefire and peace as quickly as possible is for the benefit of all. We believe that we have now entered a period in which concrete results of the negotiations are needed,” he said.
“The negotiation process, which you have been carrying out under the orders of your leaders, has raised hopes for peace.”
Ukrainian television said the meeting began with “a cool reception” and no handshakes between delegations.
Ukraine said on Monday its most ambitious goal at the meeting was to agree on a ceasefire, while a top US official said Russian President Vladimir Putin did not seem ready to make concessions to end the war.
NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia on the Black Sea, has good ties to both and has offered to mediate in the conflict. While he considers the invasion of Moscow unacceptable, Ankara has also opposed Western sanctions.
Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24. Putin called it a “special military operation” to demilitarize Ukraine. Ukraine and the West say Putin has launched a war of unprovoked aggression.
superyachts in turkey
The Kremlin said Abramovich played an early role in the peace talks, but that the process now depends on the negotiating teams.
Sitting next to Erdogan’s spokesman in the talks, Abramovich adjusted his headphones to listen to the president’s speech, the TV showed.
According to the Wall Street Journal and investigative newspaper Bellingcat, which cited people familiar with the matter, Abramovich and the Ukrainian peace negotiators suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning earlier this month after a meeting in Kiev.
Ukrainian authorities have put warm cloths on the reports.
The West has imposed heavy sanctions on Abramovich and other Russian billionaires, as well as Russian companies and officials, in an attempt to force Putin to withdraw from Ukraine.
Abramovich tried to sell his English football club Chelsea, a process that was taken out of his hands by the British government when it blacklisted him.
The superyachts linked to it, together worth an estimated $1.2 billion, have been moored in Bodrum and Marmaris in southwestern Turkey since last week. Sources said he and other wealthy Russians were looking to invest in Turkey because of sanctions elsewhere.
Despite calling Russia’s invasion unprovoked, Turkey has said it opposes sanctions imposed by its NATO allies on principle.
Its potential as a safe haven for Russian investments raises the stakes for Turkey’s government, banks and companies that could face tough decisions and penalties if the United States and others increase pressure on Moscow with broader “secondary” sanctions.
Source: CNN Brasil
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