BEIJING, June 3. /TASS/. During the latest round of talks in Istanbul, Russia and Ukraine demonstrated a desire to seek a political solution to the problem, but the conditions for this are not yet ripe. A real breakthrough is possible either if the parties soften their positions or if there are serious changes on the battlefield, Sun Qi, executive director of the Research Center of Russia and Central Asia at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told TASS.

"Overall, the second round of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine has again failed to resolve key differences. The peace process in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has encountered new obstacles after Ukraine's attack on air bases in Russia. However, the fact that the parties still sat down at the negotiating table after the strike on June 1, rather than canceling the talks altogether, makes these negotiations particularly significant. Compared to the first direct contacts, significant progress has been made - details of the ceasefire proposals have been exchanged, which, in my opinion, indicates the desire of both countries to seek a political solution, although the conditions for it are not yet ripe," the expert believes.

Among the key differences between the parties, he named the territorial issue, differences in strategic goals, interference by external forces, and a lack of trust. According to the expert, the key issues of the second round of negotiations are not much different from those of the first, and the parties still seriously disagree on the sequence and conditions of the ceasefire.

Sun noted that Russia is demonstrating a desire to discuss the content of a peace agreement, determine the principles of settlement, establish a schedule for implementing the agreements, and agree on temporary measures for a ceasefire. "Moscow is seeking to show its readiness for a peace solution, but at the same time, it aims to consolidate its military achievements in a contractual form and avoid further pressure from the West," he said.

Ukraine, the expert pointed out, is ready to continue negotiations but insists on sovereignty and territorial integrity as conditions for a ceasefire, demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops. Sun believes that Kiev is more interested in a quick settlement than Moscow under the current circumstances.

Fundamental contradictions remain

"Although the second meeting strengthened communication channels to some extent, fundamental contradictions - territorial issues, security architecture, and Western interference - leave little hope for a quick peace. The international community is cautiously optimistic, but a real breakthrough will require either a softening of positions on both sides or serious changes on the battlefield," the expert believes.

Earlier, the second round of resumed direct talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul. The meeting lasted just over an hour, with the delegations communicating in Russian. The parties exchanged documents outlining their views on various aspects of conflict resolution.