Russia pushed the US out of peace talks — Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
The Russian side did everything possible to push the United States out of the negotiation platform in Istanbul — and they succeeded, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a briefing.
According to him, the US role as a mediator in Türkiye was clearly evident.
"The Russians did everything to push them out of the negotiation platform — and they did. They did it once, and everyone was completely surprised. It was done in such an undignified way, especially considering that, honestly speaking, it was the Americans who essentially brought us together in Istanbul," Zelenskyy said.
And as the president noted, the agenda was very complex. The Ukrainian side was seeking specifics and "it was agreed that the Americans would help develop a more general approach."
"We were all surprised because the Russians removed the Americans and immediately shifted to issuing ultimatums. In other words, it was a pre-planned move," Zelenskyy added.
Istanbul talks and the role of the US
Ukraine and Russia have already held two rounds of negotiations in Istanbul. US representatives were not present at the meetings, despite Washington being the one that initially pushed for peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. Türkiye is acting as the mediator in the negotiations.
Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko noted that while the US initiated direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, it later stepped aside. At present, the United States is not participating in the talks either as a mediator or as a moderator.
