Putin’s late-night statement: Political aikido and Istanbul trap

Putin pulled a move of political aikido and brushed off Europe’s ultimatum.

Everything went as expected.

Putin’s proposal to hold bilateral talks in Turkey on May 15 is nothing new — just a rehash of the 2022 demands: surrender the army, language, and faith (in practice), and officially recognize the territories seized by the aggressor.

This format of negotiations is unlikely to work, despite Trump’s hopes. Moscow expects "compromises" only from Ukraine, while refusing to give up any of its "special military operation goals."

Why does Putin even need this round of talks? The goal is simple — to say that Ukraine is the one "disrupting the peace process." It's important to understand: the FSB has always treated negotiations as part of hybrid warfare — and this time is no different. The propaganda machine will push the line that Ukraine supposedly doesn't want peace. Sadly, this lie finds fertile ground in some Western societies. That’s why it's crucial to explain to the global media and foreign officials that the "Istanbul trap" is a provocation — not just against Ukraine, but primarily against them.

So again, the key question: will Europe and the U.S. implement what was agreed in Kyiv on May 12 — namely, new sanctions and stronger support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces? If not, it will send yet another signal to Putin that he can keep manipulating Trump and the Europeans with ease.

To sum up: next week will show whether Ukraine's partners are serious about taking action — or whether they'll fall back on vague hopes and sink into illusions that are already painfully obvious.

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About the author. Viktor Shlinchak, Chairman of the Board of the Institute of World Policy

The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.