Russian-Ukrainian 2022 Istanbul Peace Talks: A Catalyst for Conflict or a Path to Peace?

In March 2022, the Istanbul Peace Talks took place with the purpose of de-escalating the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Although the talks were initially optimistic, they did not yield a binding resolution or a lasting peace agreement despite its promising prospects. The conflicting National Interests that entail divergent goals of both parties, coupled with the omission of key international stakeholders, made scholars to ponder whether the peace talks were catalyst for conflict or a path to peace The inability to resolve the underlying political and territorial issues, as well as the absence of enforcement mechanisms, rendered the talks ineffective in stopping the conflict and establishing diplomatic stability. This paper set out to evaluate the effects of the Istanbul Peace Talks on the Ukraine-Russia diplomatic relations and to analyze why they have failed to bring about sustainable peace. The qualitative research design was used, and the main method of analysis was content analysis. The research examined official messages, media coverage, and diplomatic letters to assess the success and results of the negotiations. The research discovered that the Istanbul Peace Talks initially gave a ray of hope of peace but ended up widening the diplomatic gap between Ukraine and Russia. The omission of major world powers and the lack of binding obligations also led to the collapse of the negotiations. The strategic priorities of both countries did not change, and hostilities persisted. The discussions emphasized the necessity of additional inclusive negotiations and articulation of long-term objectives to avoid future stalemate. It was recommended the inclusion of key international stakeholders in future peace talks to ensure balanced negotiation and create more robust diplomatic frameworks.