Zelensky lands in Ankara for pivotal talks without Putin
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Ankara. He announced that decisions regarding talks with Russia will be made after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not participate in the potential negotiations in Istanbul.
On Thursday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Turkey's capital to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. As the Ukrainian leader announced, the talks, which will be crucial for Ukraine's future actions, began at around 6:30 AM ET.
“We will begin with a meeting with President Erdoğan and with the entire Turkish delegation. We are in contact with the U.S. side – I believe they will be present in Türkiye at a high level as well,” Zelensky said.
He added that the Ukrainian delegation is prepared to make decisions that could lead to a just peace. However, he expressed doubts about the decision-making capabilities of the Russian delegation, which lacks Vladimir Putin's presence.
“We will have several hours for an important discussion and very important decisions. It is essential to understand the level of the Russian delegation, what mandate they hold, and whether they are authorised to make any decisions at all – because we all know who actually makes decisions in Russia,” Zelensky stated.
Talks in Istanbul
Peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials are expected to begin in Istanbul in the latter half of the day. Zelensky previously announced that he would only participate in these talks if Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, also appeared there.
However, the Kremlin announced that Putin would not attend, and his advisor, Vladimir Medinsky, would lead the Russian delegation. The delegation will also include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, and Admiral Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia.
The talks between Russia and Ukraine, which will take place in Istanbul, have been postponed from the morning to the latter half of the day at Turkey's request. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday in Qatar that he might go to Turkey on Friday for the talks between Ukraine and Russia if there is progress in these negotiations.
