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Kremlin Says Ukraine Will Be Involved in Peace Talks but There’ll Be a Separate US-Russia Strand

Daily newspapers with covers, dedicated to the recent phone call of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, are laid out at a newsstand in a street in Moscow, Russia, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration
Daily newspapers with covers, dedicated to the recent phone call of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, are laid out at a newsstand in a street in Moscow, Russia, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration
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Kremlin Says Ukraine Will Be Involved in Peace Talks but There’ll Be a Separate US-Russia Strand

Daily newspapers with covers, dedicated to the recent phone call of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, are laid out at a newsstand in a street in Moscow, Russia, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration
Daily newspapers with covers, dedicated to the recent phone call of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, are laid out at a newsstand in a street in Moscow, Russia, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration

Russia said on Thursday that Ukraine would "of course" be involved in talks to end the war, but there would be a separate US-Russian strand to the negotiations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said it could take up to several months to arrange a meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.

The two leaders spoke on Wednesday and announced their intention to meet face-to-face, shortly after Trump's defense secretary bluntly told allies that Washington did not support NATO membership for Ukraine and that it was an illusion to believe that Ukraine - a fifth of which is controlled by Russia - could return to its pre-war borders.

Peskov told Russian state TV in an interview: "One way or another, of course, Ukraine will participate in the negotiations."

He added: "There will be a bilateral Russian-American track of this dialogue, and a track that will be related to Ukraine's involvement."

His comments were unlikely to reassure Kyiv or allay the concerns of European governments that are demanding a place at the table, fearful that Moscow and Washington could otherwise cut a deal that undermines their security.

"Any agreement without us will fail, because you need Europe and Ukraine to also implement the agreement," European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.

"Any quick fix is a dirty deal."

Trump and Putin spoke for over an hour on Wednesday, the first known direct contact between US and Russian presidents since Putin had a call with Joe Biden shortly before sending his army into Ukraine in February 2022.

Peskov told reporters earlier that the Kremlin was impressed by Trump's position on ending the war.

He said there was political will on both the Russian and US sides to find a settlement.

"There is a political will which was emphasized during yesterday's conversation to conduct a dialogue in search of a settlement," Peskov said. "There is agreement that a peaceful negotiated settlement is possible."

Asked about European demands to be represented in Ukraine peace talks, Peskov said: "As for Europe's participation, there is no understanding yet of the format of a possible negotiation process, so it is premature to talk about it." 

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Police Use Force to Break Up Protests at University in Türkiye’s Capital

People flash mobile phone lights during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Türkiye, March 25, 2025. (Reuters)
People flash mobile phone lights during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Türkiye, March 25, 2025. (Reuters)
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Police Use Force to Break Up Protests at University in Türkiye’s Capital

People flash mobile phone lights during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Türkiye, March 25, 2025. (Reuters)
People flash mobile phone lights during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Türkiye, March 25, 2025. (Reuters)

Police used pepper spray, plastic pellets and water cannon against protesters in Türkiye’s capital early Thursday, potentially reigniting tensions after two days of relative calm in the country's biggest anti-government protests in over a decade.

The demonstrations began last week following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Imamoglu, jailed on corruption charges many see as politically motivated, is also accused of supporting terrorism. The government insists the judiciary is independent, but critics say the evidence is based on secret witnesses and lacks credibility.

Early Thursday, student demonstrators tried to march and gathered to read a statement near the gates at Middle East Technical University, pro-opposition broadcaster Halk TV and local media reported. They were met by security forces who deployed pepper spray, water cannon and plastic pellets. A standoff ensued where the students hid behind a barricade of dumpsters until the police charged to detain them.

Melih Meric, a legislator with the Republican People’s Party or CHP, was seen soaked with water and suffering from pepper spray exposure. “My student friends only wanted to make a press statement, but the police strictly did not allow it, this is the result," Meric said in social media videos.

Officials have not said how many people were detained.

Ozgur Ozel, the leader of party to which Imamoglu belongs, had promised that lawmakers would stand alongside protesters in the hope of lowering tensions. He also warned Tuesday that if the police provoked demonstrators he would “make a call for 500,000 people to (come to) the place that will disturb” the authorities the most.

At least 1,400 people were detained first six days of the protests, the interior minister said Tuesday.

Demonstrations involving hundreds of thousands have swept across major cities, including opposition-organized rallies outside Istanbul City Hall. Other major protests have been held in Istanbul's districts of Kadikoy and Sisli districts in recent days.

Erdogan has accused the opposition of “sinking the economy” by calling for a boycott of companies it says support the government. The president said those responsible for hurting financial stability would be held “accountable."

Meanwhile, Imamoglu, speaking from prison via social media Wednesday, denounced police violence against protesters, “I cannot call them police because my honorable police would not commit this cruelty to the young children of the nation,” he said.

Imamoglu has been confirmed as the main opposition party's candidate for presidential elections due in 2028 but which could come earlier. He has performed well in recent polls against Erdogan, for whom his election as mayor of Türkiye’s largest city in 2019 was a major blow.