Russia claims Western interference derailed 2022 Istanbul agreement on Ukraine

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoygu claimed Wednesday that Western intervention prevented the implementation of the 2022 Istanbul agreement on Ukraine, despite efforts by Russia and Türkiye to finalize it.

Speaking during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Moscow, Shoygu said Moscow and Ankara had worked closely to prepare the agreement and create the conditions needed for its implementation.

“At that time, the Istanbul agreement was prepared through joint efforts. If not for Western interference, we had every opportunity to complete this work,” Shoygu said.

Shoygu also accused UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of failing to fulfill commitments related to the Black Sea grain initiative.

“Russia and Türkiye fully met their obligations. The only participant that failed to carry out the commitments it had undertaken was the third party to the agreement,” Shoygu said, referring to the UN and Guterres.

The Russian official highlighted what he described as a history of productive cooperation between Moscow and Ankara on a range of issues.

He pointed to joint efforts in Syria, including the establishment of de-escalation zones and counterterrorism operations, saying the two countries had consistently found mutually acceptable solutions despite difficult circumstances.

Shoygu also cited cooperation on Ukraine-related issues, including the return of Turkish vessels from Ukrainian ports.

He proposed discussing current challenges facing the two countries, saying that while some longstanding issues remained, new opportunities for cooperation had also emerged.