Critical Meeting in Istanbul: Zelensky to Meet Only with Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet solely with Russian President Vladimir Putin at an upcoming summit in Istanbul, according to official statements. It has been confirmed that Zelensky will not hold talks with any other members of the Russian delegation.
As the much-anticipated discussions, which are hoped to mark a turning point in the war between Ukraine and Russia, draw near, global attention is focused on Istanbul. A Ukrainian presidential advisor told Reuters that Zelensky would refrain from any contact with other Russian officials and would engage only in direct talks with President Putin.
Zelensky had previously expressed his readiness to meet with Putin in Istanbul for negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.
“Ceasefire Talks Should Resume in Istanbul”
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently proposed resuming peace talks in Istanbul to bring an end to the war, which has continued since 2022. The development, reported as breaking news by international agencies, has reignited hopes for peace.
Putin stated he was open to negotiations without any preconditions, and Kyiv responded positively to the proposal. President Zelensky confirmed that he would be in Istanbul on May 15 and was expecting to meet with Putin face to face.
Erdoğan: Turkey Ready to Host Russia-Ukraine Negotiations
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with Putin via phone and expressed his approval of the proposed peace talks in Istanbul. Erdoğan reiterated that Turkey was prepared to host the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump: “Maybe I’ll Join”
U.S. President Donald Trump, during a press conference at the Oval Office ahead of his Middle East tour, commented on the Istanbul summit between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump noted that he was not yet certain where exactly he would be on that date in the Middle East, and while he had considered attending the summit, his busy schedule had made it difficult to decide. When asked directly whether he would join the talks in Istanbul, Trump replied, “I don’t know where I’ll be at that time. I’ll be somewhere in the Middle East, but if I think I can be helpful, I might fly to Istanbul.”
