Moscow seeks to regain initiative in the game of peace talks

Putin presumes that he can gain an advantage in the fast-moving game of peace talks, but his confidence in the strength of Russia’s negotiating position based on the tactical successes on the battlefields may turn out to be misplaced. The Kremlin appears to assume that time is on Russia’s side. A probable failure to reach an agreement at the meeting in Saudi Arabia will likely be perceived by Moscow as an opportunity to gain more concessions at the negotiating table. As Dmitriev stated after the talks, “It is too early to talk about compromises. We can say that the sides started communicating with each other, started listening to each other, started the dialogue” (TASS, February 18). Putin’s strategy in Ukraine has been a chain of miscalculations and setbacks. Faking readiness to reach a peace deal while persisting with pressure for victory could be yet another blunder.