'I'm here. This is a very clear message,' Zelenskyy addresses Putin
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy states that his arrival in Türkiye is already a message to Russian president Vladimir Putin, according to Sky News.
Journalists asked Zelenskyy whether he had a message for Putin.
To this, the President of Ukraine replied: "I'm here. I think this is a very clear message."
Talks in Istanbul
After the end of the three-day ceasefire (May 8–11) declared by Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, together with the countries of the Coalition of the Willing, demanded the implementation of a full 30-day ceasefire starting May 12. In case of refusal, the EU threatened Moscow with new harsh sanctions.
In response, Putin said that Russia does not accept ultimatums and instead proposed resuming peace talks on May 15 in Istanbul. Turkey agreed to act as a mediator. Zelensky also declared his readiness for a personal meeting with Putin, but the latter has not yet responded as to whether he plans to participate in the talks.
It is known that the Ukrainian president has arrived in Türkiye.
According to the spokesperson of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, Putin will not be present during the Russia–Ukraine talks in Türkiye. Instead, he sent low-level officials to Türkiye. The Russian delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, Putin’s aide, who was already involved in negotiations back in 2022.
Everything you need to know about the talks in Istanbul — read in the RBC-Ukraine article.
