Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to consider real negotiations to end the war in Ukraine due to the deteriorating economic situation in the country, but the escalation in the Middle East has changed this dynamic. This is what Russian journalist Mikhail Zygar claims in an article for The New York Times.
According to Zygar, by the end of February the Kremlin was considering changes to its negotiating team, including a possible replacement of the representative in the talks with Kiev, Kirill Dmitriev, with the head of "Rosneft" Igor Sechin - a long-time associate of Putin. According to him, this signaled a possible change in Moscow's approach to the negotiations. Personnel reshuffles in the Russian government have also been discussed.
The author argues that the outbreak of the war between the US, Israel and Iran has led to a sharp change in the situation. Rising oil prices and the easing of sanctions pressure on the Russian energy sector, as well as disagreements between Europe and the US regarding the conflict with Iran, have reduced the pressure on the Kremlin to seek an agreement.
"In a strange coincidence, the outbreak of the war in Iran has put an end to the prospect of ending the war in Ukraine - just at the moment when Putin seemed ready to consider this option," writes Zygar.
Trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US have been on hold since the outbreak of the conflict in Iran on February 28. Representatives of Kiev and Washington have held meetings in the United States in recent days, but Moscow has not participated.
According to Russian media, Dmitriev last visited Miami on March 11 for informal talks.
Zygar's claims have not been independently confirmed, but they outline a possible link between the escalation in the Middle East and the slowdown in diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.