Ukraine and Russia are holding secret talks to discuss possible concessions, writes the German newspaper Die Zeit.
The talks include a mutual deterrence of attacks on energy infrastructure, a prisoner exchange, the return of illegally transported Ukrainian children, and a grain deal. As mentioned in the article, the negotiations were held in Copenhagen, Kyiv, Malta, and Davos, as well as in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where even Chinese representatives were present.
Some of these negotiations have failed. The agreement on the Black Sea expired a little over a year ago. Meanwhile, Qatar-led talks on infrastructure protection hit a deadlock when the Kursk operation began, writes the newspaper.
The German periodical claims that several such negotiations have yet to be known precisely because non-public diplomacy is the most successful.
Non-public diplomacy, or track two, is designed to test the limits of what is possible. What is Ukraine ready for regarding the future of the Crimean peninsula, and in which areas will Russia agree to make concessions? The newspaper claimed such issues are not discussed publicly and not at the highest level.
It should be noted that at the end of October, the well-known Financial Times reported that Ukraine and Russia are conducting secret negotiations on mutual cessation of airstrikes on energy infrastructure facilities.
