May 16, 2025
What Ukraine and Russia are Negotiating in Turkey
Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul this week – the first since March 2022 – have got off to a shaky start. Putin’s no-show meant President Zelenskyy remained in Ankara on Thursday, but he plans to send a delegation to Istanbul led by his Defense Minister. Russia’s unwillingness to send a more senior delegation suggests they are not taking the talks seriously, and there are few signs they have dropped their maximalist war demands and would be ready to make a settlement with Ukraine that ensures a sustainable peace. With their efforts so far having failed to yield significant results, President Trump has expressed his frustration with both Kyiv and Moscow and personally urged Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy to meet directly.
To discuss this round of talks and the prospects for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, we’re very pleased to have Sam Charap and Sergey Radchenko with us on the podcast.
Sam Charap is distinguished chair in Russia and Eurasia Policy and a senior political scientist at RAND.
Sergey Radchenko is the Wilson E. Schmidt distinguished professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
More from CNAS
-
What Could Europe’s Loan to Ukraine Mean for Moscow?
Video
The European Union has given a preliminary green light to unblock a $AU148 billion loan for Ukraine. Jim Townsend from the Center for a New American Security says the loan is ...
By Jim Townsend
-
The War in Iran, a Benefit to Putin
Podcast
While the world's attention has turned to the war with Iran, the war in Ukraine continues. Russia has seemingly kicked off its spring offensive, but a meaningful breakthrough ...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
-
Reflecting on Four Years of War in Ukraine
Podcast
This week marks the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Brussels Sprouts wanted to mark this somber milestone with a look at the conflict and the...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
-
Ukraine Negotiations: Prospects and Pitfalls of Peace
Podcast
This week Brussels Sprouts breaks down the latest negotiations on Ukraine. American officials told reporters that they had resolved or closed gaps around 90 percent of their d...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
