This is CBSI on the world. I'm John Batchel. To Moscow, to my colleague Akaterina Zulotava,

for geopolitical futures, a subscription site I recommend, especially for Akaterina watching now

in what appears to be closing rounds of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict these many years.

We're told there is to be a meeting Thursday in Istanbul, perhaps.

So I begin by asking, Akaterina, why Istanbul, of all the places and all the world?

Akaterina, a very good evening to you.

Your essay about how Russia appears to the Russian people right now,

Vladimir Putin making a speech on May 11th,

outlining what it needs to be done,

points to a positive outcome if and when there are negotiations.

But I ask about the place, why Istanbul?

And what does Mr. Erdogan make of the fact that they want to meet in his biggest city?

Good evening to you.

Good evening.

Well, the platform of Istanbul was chosen, not accidentally.

Istanbul was already the place for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

And if I would say the word twice, that will be really correct.

So the first one, it was the very famous grain deal, and Istanbul

was one of the platform that was providing this deal. And the second one, maybe most important

for Russia. It was in the spring, it was March, April of 2022, the time when Russia actually had a great

advantage on the battlefield and advanced in Ukraine greatly. It took a lot of territories under

its control or just in the presence, and it was very close to Kiev at that time. So it was in stronger

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