The operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region led to the breakdown of secret negotiations on a partial ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, reports The Washington Post, citing diplomats and officials. According to the information, the countries planned to hold indirect talks in Qatar, aimed at reaching an agreement on ending strikes on energy infrastructure.
The negotiations involved sending delegations from both countries to Doha, where the negotiations were to take place. The agreements could form the basis for a partial ceasefire and give both sides some reprieve from hostilities.
According to diplomats, Qatar has been working for the past two months to organize a moratorium on energy strikes between Kyiv and Moscow. The Doha summit, which was planned for this month, remained only at the stage of finalizing minor details.
However, Ukraine's surprise invasion of the western part of the Kursk region last week disrupted these negotiations. After this invasion, Russian officials postponed a meeting with Qatari representatives, describing it as an "escalation". A diplomatic source noted that Kyiv did not warn Doha about its cross-border offensive, which came as a surprise to the Qatari side.
Although Ukraine was ready to continue negotiations, Qatar refused a one-sided meeting, not seeing its benefit. In this regard, the summit in Doha was postponed, and the Office of the President of Ukraine reported that it will be held in the format of a video conference on August 22. After that, Kyiv plans to consult with its partners regarding the implementation of the discussed issues.
Some officials expressed hope that the talks could lead to a more comprehensive agreement to end the war. However, recent events indicate a decrease in the likelihood of reaching such agreements. Russian President Vladimir Putin's public statements about his refusal to soften his position at the negotiations because of the attack on Russian territory further complicated the situation.
