Türkiye calls on Ukraine and Russia to seize opportunity at talks opening
Photo: Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey (Getty Images)
The Ukrainian and Russian delegations should use the opportunity during the talks to make progress towards ending the war, Foreign Minister of Türkiye Hakan Fidan says.
At the opening of the talks between Ukraine and Russia, the Turkish Foreign Minister wished the parties "good luck."
"This meeting marks the first direct contact since March 2022. We must seize this opportunity to make progress on the path to peace," he added.
He noted that the war continues to claim lives, making an immediate ceasefire all the more important. In particular, the next stage will be determined by "the choices we make and the steps we take."
Among other things, Fidan called yesterday's visit of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy an important step towards the start of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Ukraine-Russia talks in Türkiye
Russia's Vladimir Putin recently proposed to resume talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, while rejecting the West's initiative for a 30-day silence.
Zelenskyy, for his part, declared his readiness for a personal meeting, but the Russian side limited itself to sending a delegation.
The talks between Ukraine and Russia were originally scheduled for May 15, but were postponed to May 16.
Today, a meeting in the Ukraine-USA-Türkiye format was held in Istanbul. It has also recently become known that negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow have begun.
For more details, see RBC-Ukraine's report.
