Twist and turn to force history to match your opinions all you like. People do it all the time.
But the fact is, heads of state only meet when thorny contentious issues have already been ironed out by their negotiators and an agreement hammered out. There are very good reasons why this is so.
Even at Camp David, the heads of state only met after previous negotiations and each brought their own negotiating teams to do the bulk of the work. Begin and Sadat very rarely met face to face, with Carter bouncing back and forth between them like a ping pong ball.
As for Zelensky’z decree:
The decree, signed on Tuesday (4 October), officially formalises Zelensky’s comments on Friday (30 September) that Ukraine is ready for dialogue “but with another president of Russia”. “
(snip)
The decree is a response to Putin’s annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts on 30 September...”
Link: https://www.commonspace.eu/news/zelensky-signs-decree-formally-ruling-out-negotiations-putin
The same as above was widely reported by Western and Ukrainian media. Sometime later, it was “clarified” that it was meant to outlaw illegitimate negotiations by unauthorized Ukrainians.
Frankly, it reads like it was issued in a fit of pique. If the goal was to prevent unauthorized negotiations, the decree would have stated that only the president (and possibly those specifically designated by him) could conduct negotiations.
It’s, um, interesting, that having outlawed negotiations with Putin, Zelensky is now insisting on Putin’s presence at the Istanbul talks.
Why would Trump expect face-to-face negotiations between heads of state to speed up the process? He himself appointed Rubio to go, signalling this was to be negotiations at the Foreign Minister/SecState level. It’s better if diplomats do the arguing. Trump himself has remarked on Zelensky’s and Putin’s hatred for one another. Negotiations will naturally go more smoothly minus the personal animosity between the two leaders.
My take: Trump has teased that he might go to Istanbul “if the talks go well”. That’s another signal that at least some basics need be already agreed before heads of state step in. Putin will only go if Trump goes. Trump will only go if there is a tangible benefit — and if Putin goes.
If Zelensky can bend his decree to exclude himself, he can bend it to exclude his duly appointed and publicly named representative(s). If he truly wants to negotiate a lasting peace, he’ll do that. Or -— if there is no one he trusts to negotiate — then show up himself and negotiate with Lavrov.
Right now, it looks like Zelensky is trying to impose a precondition by inappropriately insisting on Putin’s presence as a way to wriggle out and blame it all on Putin, when in reality he’s the one one playing games and obstructing.
In Zelensky’s defense, who can blame him? He cannot settle for anything less than complete Russian capitulation (which obviously won’t happen) or the Banderites in the SBU will have his head. If he gives so much as an inch, he seals his own death warrant. It’s tragic.
Your rehearsal of the facts pretty much match my own understandings, no "twist and turn to force history" required.
CatHerd: "The same as above was widely reported by Western and Ukrainian media.
Sometime later, it was “clarified” that it was meant to outlaw illegitimate negotiations by unauthorized Ukrainians.
Frankly, it reads like it was issued in a fit of pique..."
Sure, you can put whatever interpretation you wish on Zelensky's October 2022 decree, but it's irrelevant.
The only thing that matters is what Zelensky says his decree means and that can change every day if he needs it to.
It's just a decree, meaning Zelensky can interpret it, modify it or cancel it whenever that suits him.
CatHerd: "Right now, it looks like Zelensky is trying to impose a precondition by inappropriately insisting on Putin’s presence as a way to wriggle out and blame it all on Putin, when in reality he’s the one one playing games and obstructing."
Blaming Zelensky for "inappropriate" or "playing games" is absurd Russian propaganda, so why do you do it?
The war in Ukraine is 100% on Putin -- only he started it and only Putin can end it.
Zelensky can agree to a ceasefire, and even an armistice, as in Korea in 1953 -- which has lasted now almost 72 years.
But South Korea never agreed to and never signed that 1953 armistice.
They remain officially at war against North Korea to this day.
Only Putin can decide to end the fighting.
For Ukraine the war is not officially over until Russian forces are removed from Ukraine.
CatHerd: "In Zelensky’s defense, who can blame him?
He cannot settle for anything less than complete Russian capitulation (which obviously won’t happen) or the Banderites in the SBU will have his head.
If he gives so much as an inch, he seals his own death warrant.
It’s tragic."
In the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election, every political party promised to stand strong against Russia on the matter of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Some, like Viktor Medvedchuk's pro-Russia "Opposition Platform – For Life" party did advocate for negotiations with Russia and autonomy for separatist regions.
But none supported Russian annexation of any Ukrainian lands.
So, I expect the best we'll see from Russia-Ukraine negotiations is a cease-fire, perhaps even an armistice similar to 1953 in Korea.
But I don't expect Ukrainians to ever officially agree to Russian annexation of Ukrainian territories.
But who knows? We'll see in due time.