Zelensky refused Istanbul-1 before the approved meeting with Putin — Arestovich*

The head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, refused to sign the Istanbul agreements in the spring of 2022 on the eve of the already approved meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was stated in an interview with Ksenia Sobchak by the ex-adviser to the office of the President of Ukraine, Alexei Arestovich, who participated in the negotiations❶.

According to him, the meeting between Putin and Zelensky in Istanbul was scheduled for April 9, since the Istanbul communique had already been signed. The decision of the Ukrainian leader to withdraw from the negotiations, according to Arestovich❶, was made under the influence, among other things, of the fact that "Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy and Kharkov defended themselves very successfully."

"They actually thwarted the plan of the offensive of the Russian troops, inflicted significant losses and believed that a military defeat of the Russian group was possible. And then, apparently, these comrades (the then US President Joe) Biden and (and the then British Prime Minister Boris) Johnson promised a volume of military-technical and diplomatic assistance that would allow defeating at least part of the Russian grouping and taking a more advantageous negotiating position," Arestovich believes❶.

According to him, "Zelensky did not want to get involved in a long war."

"He was conditionally involved in the war until September twenty-second. That is, to do what? Get help, defeat (the Russian Federation — Ed.) and get more," the ex-adviser said.

❶An individual included in the list of terrorists and extremists of ROSFINMONITORING