Quite the most conspicuous feature of Tuesday’s talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul was the presence of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who is sanctioned by the West over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. He made a surprise appearance during the first direct peace talks in weeks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators.

The two teams sat facing each other at a long table in the presidential office on an Ottoman palace ground. The Russian oligarch sat in the front row of observers wearing a blue suit, a Turkish presidential video showed. In the most tangible sign yet of progress towards ending the war, Russia emerged from the talks promising to scale down military operations around Kiev and the country’s north, and Ukraine proposed adopting a neutral status.

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About Abramovich, signals have emerged since the war began that he has sought to encourage negotiations, and travelled to Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and Israel in March. Two of his super yachts are docked at Turkish resorts. His presence initially baffled at least one Ukrainian diplomat, while Moscow said he was not formally negotiating but was there as a go-between and had approval from the Ukrainian side. A spokesman for Abramovich did not respond to a request for comment.

Abramovich showed no signs of a suspected poisoning early this month. The Wall Street Journal and the investigative outlet, Bellingcat, said Abramovich and Ukrainian negotiators suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning after a meeting in Kiev. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the poisoning reports as untrue and part of an “information war”. Turkey, a member of Nato, shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good ties with both and has offered to mediate in the conflict.

While calling Moscow’s invasion unacceptable, Ankara has also opposed the Western sanctions. In a speech ahead of the talks by the Bosphorus strait, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told the delegations the time had come for concrete results and that progress would pave the way for a meeting of the countries’ two leaders. “It is up to the sides to stop this tragedy. Achieving a ceasefire and peace as soon as possible is to the benefit of everyone,” he said.

Russia and Ukraine have achieved their most significant progress yet in peace negotiations with Moscow promising on Tuesday to reduce “by multiples” the intensity of its military activity around Kiev and to its north. At another remove, Ukrainian officials have outlined potential concessions over territory occupied by Russia. It has been suggested that negotiations on the status of Crimea ~ annexed by Russia in 2014 ~ be conducted over a period of 15 years, with Ukraine refraining from trying to retake the peninsula by force.

As regards Donbas, which Russia no longer recognizes as part of Ukraine, its status could be discussed by Presidents Putin and Zelenskyi. A measure of progress has been made, and this is to be welcomed as a positive outcome of diplomacy.