5 outcomes on Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul

As the Russian and Ukrainian delegates sat front-to-front for the fourth round of peace talks, this time in Turkey's Istanbul, there were signs of a breakthrough that may soon be executed on the grounds. Both sides sat for a negotiation to end the month-long war which began on February 24 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Showing optimistic signs, a Ukrainian negotiator said a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin may soon materialise. The Russian delegation was also optimistic after the first round of talks, terming them 'meaningful'.

Meanwhile, Russia has officially announced the reduction of troops from capital Kyiv and Chernihiv. Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said that this decision has been taken to create an atmosphere of dialogue with Ukraine.

At the same time, Ukrainian officials have claimed that Russian troops have failed to achieve their goals, so they need to withdraw the army. The talks hosted by Turkey raised hopes that a diplomatic resolution may be in sight for the Russia-Ukraine war.

Read | Russia says it will drastically reduce military activities around Kyiv after latest round of peace talks

Putin-Zelenskyy meeting possible

Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said that the results of Tuesday's meeting are sufficient for a meeting at the leaders' level. This has raised the possibility of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated on several occasions that he is more than willing to engage in dialogue with Vladimir Putin. By contrast, the Russian foreign ministry on Monday ruled out direct talks between the two leaders as 'counterproductive'.

Russia to scale down attacks

In a significant move, the Russian military said it would 'fundamentally' cut back operations near Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv. Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin said the move was meant 'to increase trust' and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations to end the fighting, which has resulted in untold losses on both sides.

"The decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv directions," Fomin informed reporters. Ukraine's military said it had noted withdrawals around Kyiv and Chernihiv on Tuesday.

Neutrality in exchange for security

Ukraine proposed adopting neutral status in exchange for security guarantees at talks with Russia in Turkey, meaning it would not join military alliances or host military bases, Ukrainian negotiators said on Tuesday. To resolve the conflict, Ukraine has also announced to give up its desire to join NATO.

The proposals would include a 15-year consultation period on the status of Russian-annexed Crimea, and could come into force only in the event of a complete ceasefire. Ukrainian negotiator Oleksander Chaly said, "We will not host foreign military bases on our territory, as well as deploy military contingents on our territory, and we will not enter into military-political alliances."

Poland, Israel, Turkey, and Canada might be considered among potential security guarantors. Top Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said he would examine the Ukrainian proposals and report on them to President Vladimir Putin.

Territorial integrity

Ukraine proposes to sidestep the question of Crimea and the breakaway territories in the eastern Donbas region. In order for the security guarantees to quickly come into force the accord would 'temporarily exclude' these areas, said David Arakhamia, the representative of the Ukrainian delegation.

For Crimea, which Russia invaded and then annexed in 2014, Kyiv proposes talks over 15 years to resolve its status, according to negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak.

UN nuclear watchdog in Ukraine

The director-general of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in Ukraine on Tuesday for talks with senior government officials on delivering 'urgent technical assistance' to ensure the safety of the country's nuclear facilities.

Rafael Mariano Grossi said his aim was to 'initiate prompt safety and security support' for Ukraine's nuclear sites. The agency will send IAEA experts to 'prioritised facilities', which it did not identify, and send 'vital safety and security supplies', including monitoring and emergency equipment.

Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors at four active power plants, and also is home to the decommissioned Chernobyl plant, the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster. Russian forces have taken control of Chernobyl and of the largest active power plant at Zaporizhzhia.