The aborted 2022 Istanbul talks should serve as the starting point, adjusted for the “real situation” on the ground, presidential aide Yury Ushakov says Peace negotiations with Ukraine should consider both the current realities on the ground and the groundwork laid during the 2022 Istanbul talks, an aide to the Russian president, Yury Ushakov, has said. He made the remarks after Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Kiev the opportunity to resume direct talks “without any preconditions.”