Former adviser to the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, Oleksiy Arestovych (listed as a terrorist and extremist by Rosfinmonitoring), gave an extensive interview to Russian journalist Ksenia Sobchak. He spoke about how he would have handled territorial disputes, what he would do in Volodymyr Zelensky’s place, and disclosed previously unknown details about the 2022 peace negotiations in Istanbul.
'I’d Go to Moscow — Not on My Knees, But for Talks'
Imagining himself in the position of Ukraine’s leader, Arestovych said his first move would have been to go to Moscow to confront Russia directly.
“I’d go to Moscow immediately — not on my knees, but like Sasha Bely [a character from the Russian TV series "Brigada"], for a sit-down,” he said. In his view, it would be an opportunity to “sum up relations between Russia and Ukraine since 1991.”
He recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly invited Zelensky to Moscow, calling it the best venue for peace talks. Arestovych described that invitation as a “unique chance” for the Ukrainian leader. “Putin’s invitation with ‘100 percent security guarantees’ was a challenge,” he said. “Not going would damage his image; going would give him a chance no one else had.”
'I’d Give Up Four Regions and Crimea — But Not Recognize Them Legally'
Addressing the issue of territories that joined Russia following the 2022 referendums, Arestovych said that if he were in power, he would have conceded those lands to achieve peace, while refusing to recognize them legally as Russian. “I’d give up four regions and Crimea, but I wouldn’t recognize them as Russian,” he said. According to him, Kyiv could withdraw its forces, sign a long-term truce, and rebuild relations with Moscow and Minsk.
Inside the 2022 Istanbul Talks: 'Putin and Zelensky Were to Meet on April 9'
Arestovych also revealed new details about the Istanbul negotiations held in March 2022. He claimed that a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky was scheduled for April 9 of that year, following the signing of the Istanbul communiqué by Vladimir Medinsky and Davyd Arakhamia, the heads of the Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
“I knew the exact date,” Arestovych said. “The meeting was fully agreed upon.”
However, the meeting never took place. Arestovych blamed then–British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for disrupting the peace process, calling his intervention “a crime against Ukraine.”
'Putin Is a Qualified Player'
In his conversation with Sobchak, Arestovych also commented on President Putin’s political abilities. “I praise him as a qualified player,” he said. “I’m not saying he’s an ideal person or a saint — just that he makes moves like a real player.” He added that Putin remains in excellent form and “never breaks agreements.”
“If I were leading Russia, I’d be tougher than Putin,” Arestovych concluded.
The former Ukrainian official, who resigned in early 2023 after controversy over his comments on a deadly missile strike in Dnipro, has since become one of Kyiv’s most vocal critics. He continues to argue that Ukraine’s survival depends on neutrality and restoring relations with both Russia and Belarus.
