Russia Sets Out Harsh Terms At Istanbul Talks; UK/EU Despondent Outplayed; Trump Seeks Russia Summit (Alexander Mercouris)

0:00 - Announcement of travel to St. Petersburg for a legal conference
3:42 - Introduction to the main topic: Meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul
5:05 - Discussion of Russia's stance on negotiations without a ceasefire
11:03 - Details of the meeting outcomes: prisoner exchange and future talks
16:12 - Analysis of the Ukrainian language use and negotiation dynamics
18:52 - Public agreements: prisoner exchange and written ideas exchange
21:02 - Ukrainian demands and Russian responses during negotiations
29:00 - Russian demands including non-NATO status for Ukraine and minority protections
32:33 - Russian negotiation strategy and potential territorial expansions
39:25 - European reactions and concerns about the negotiations and US stance
50:00 - European leaders' attempts to influence US policy and the Trump administration's response
1:01:10 - US military drawdown in Europe and its implications for NATO
1:05:43 - Potential summit between Trump and Putin and European concerns
1:07:00 - Michael Fondonder Schulenberg's observations on Russian attitudes towards Europe
1:11:20 - Suggestions for European diplomatic engagement with Russia
1:14:06 - Brief mention of military situation in Ukraine
1:17:02 - Middle East update: Israel-Gaza conflict and shifting international opinions



The Russian ceasefire terms are that Ukraine withdraw from the four regions being fought over currently, and if they don't, the Russians will fight to take control of at least eight regions. They also want Ukrainian neutrality and a vastly diminished military, along with the eradication of the neo Nazis.

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, May 18, 2025.]