Zelenskyy awaits Putin: Details about possible talks in Türkiye

Takeaways:

• What did Zelenskyy say ahead of the possible meeting with Putin in Istanbul?
• What is the Kremlin saying? Will Putin come to the negotiations?
• Who will represent the US in the talks in Türkiye?
• Is Russia making demands again before starting dialogue?
• What happens if the Istanbul meeting falls through?

The past few days have seen rapid developments around Ukraine. First, a summit of the Coalition of the Willing, a group of allies consistently supporting Kyiv, was held in Kyiv.

After the meeting, all five leaders - Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Donald Tusk, and Keir Starmer - held a productive phone call with US President Donald Trump regarding peace efforts.

Then the Europeans, together with the Ukrainian leader, issued a joint demand to the Kremlin: to agree to a complete and unconditional 30-day ceasefire - on land, in the air, and at sea - starting May 12. The allies also issued an ultimatum. If Russia agrees, sanctions will be strengthened against it.

However, Moscow once again demonstrated its lack of interest in a peaceful resolution. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin actually rejected the initiative and instead proposed direct talks with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul.

"We propose that the Kyiv authorities resume the direct negotiations, interrupted in 2022. We suggest restarting them this Thursday in Istanbul. In the same place, they were stopped," said Putin.

In response, on the evening of May 12, the US President also made a statement. He noted that Ukraine must "immediately" agree to Russia's proposal for direct negotiations in Türkiye.

But the Ukrainian leader countered. Zelenskyy responded: if the Kremlin truly wants negotiations, it should agree to a ceasefire, and Putin must personally come for a face-to-face meeting.

"I will be in Türkiye this Thursday, May 15, and I expect Putin to be in Türkiye. In person. And I hope that this time Putin won't be looking for reasons why he can't do something," the President of Ukraine stated.

Donald Trump later announced he was also ready to come to Istanbul, and the Turkish side officially confirmed it was prepared to host representatives from both Ukraine and Russia.

Thus, if Zelenskyy and Putin meet this Thursday in Istanbul, it will be their second meeting overall, following their discussion in December 2019 regarding ending the war in Donbas as part of the Normandy format.

The last round of in-person negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations took place on March 29, 2022, in Istanbul. After that meeting, the negotiation process dragged on for several weeks until it completely stalled in May, as the world reacted to atrocities committed by occupying forces in Bucha and beyond.

Ukraine. Zelenskyy declares readiness for personal meeting with Putin

On May 13, the President of Ukraine held a press conference, during which he revealed plans regarding the potential meeting with the Russian dictator.

On May 15 in Ankara, Zelenskyy will meet with Turkish President Recep Erdoğan. According to him, both leaders will do "everything possible" to make the meeting with Putin happen.

"We will be waiting for a meeting with Putin in Türkiye. So that Russia doesn't manipulate locations and say that Putin is ready to fly only to Istanbul and not Ankara, I want to immediately say: if Putin flies to Istanbul and not to the capital of Türkiye I've already sent the message to President Erdoğan and the Turkish side is ready - we will fly to Istanbul together with Erdoğan. That is, in any case, we will do everything to make this meeting happen," Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian President explained that he is ready for a meeting with Putin. Other negotiation formats with Russians in Istanbul have not been worked out by the Ukrainian side. The Presidential Office earlier explained that there's no point in speaking with other representatives of the aggressor state. Only Putin must take part in negotiations since he is the one making all the decisions in Russia.

During the briefing, Zelenskyy explained that he can negotiate with Putin and that statements about a ban on the Ukrainian President speaking to the dictator are part of a Russian narrative.

Ukrainian leader also emphasized: if Putin does not come to Istanbul, it will be the final proof that Russia is not ready to end the war. Zelenskyy also stated what the next steps should be if the meeting in Istanbul does not happen.

"It must be, at the very least, a strong package of sanctions from the US, a strong package from Europe. And these sanctions will not be for aggression or occupation. These will be sanctions for the fact that Russia does not want a ceasefire," Zelenskyy said.

Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a press conference about the possible meeting with Putin in Türkiye (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)

Later, in an interview with Liberation and several other European media outlets, the Ukrainian President shared the key topics he plans to discuss with Putin if the meeting occurs.

"If I meet with him, we must achieve a political victory - either a ceasefire, or an 'all for all' prisoner exchange, or something similar," said Zelenskyy.

According to the Chief of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, the President's position is absolutely correct. Zelenskyy is demonstrating a sincere desire and readiness to end the war.

"We need an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, first and foremost, to save the lives of our people. I do not doubt that Volodymyr Zelensky is fully prepared for such a meeting, and in cooperation with our partners, we can achieve the desired result," Budanov said in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.

Russia. Kremlin avoids confirming Putin's participation and makes demands

So far, the Russian side has not officially announced whether Putin will travel to Türkiye for the negotiations. Overall, the Kremlin is keeping the composition of its delegation to Istanbul a secret.

"Our delegation will be there and waiting for the Ukrainian side," Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said last night, without specifying who is in the delegation.

However, according to The Washington Post, citing a former senior Kremlin official, Russia is supposedly sending Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Russian dictator’s aide Yury Ushakov to the talks with Ukraine. The Russian media outlet Agency also reported this.

A source from the Agency responded negatively when asked whether Putin would go to Istanbul on May 15.

“No, Ushakov is planned for now. Maybe Lavrov will join, but that hasn't been decided yet,” the source is quoted as saying.

And although Putin proposed to resume direct negotiations with Ukraine supposedly "without any preconditions," yesterday the Russian side issued yet another set of ultimatums ahead of the possible Istanbul meeting.

Photo: The Kremlin still hasn't said whether Putin will attend the talks with Zelenskyy (Getty Images)

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated that on May 15 in Istanbul, Moscow will insist on the so-called "denazification of the Kyiv regime" and will demand recognition of the occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia.

“The agenda remains the same... Primarily addressing the root causes of this conflict, resolving issues related to the denazification of the Kyiv regime, and ensuring recognition of the realities that have taken shape on the ground recently, including the incorporation of new territories into the Russian Federation," Ryabkov said.

USA. Who is coming to Istanbul from American side, and possible Trump's presence

The US President did not rule out his presence at the negotiations between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia in Türkiye. Trump expressed hope that both Zelenskyy and Putin would meet and added that he himself was "thinking about flying" there if he believes "something could happen."

"And if I think it will be helpful - I don't know where I'll be at that moment, somewhere in the Middle East - but I'll fly there if I think it will help," Trump said during a May 12 press conference at the White House.

The American leader is currently touring the Middle East. Yesterday, Trump was given a grand reception in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and today he's expected to head to Qatar.

Speaking yesterday at the US-Saudi Investment Forum, Trump announced that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio would go to Istanbul for the Ukraine-Russia negotiations.

According to Reuters and CNN, the US delegation will also include President Trump's Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg. The latter told Fox News that Trump himself would go to Istanbul if Putin is there.

Photo: Trump may come to Istanbul if Putin is there (Getty Images)

CNN journalists, citing a US administration official, also noted that "whether Trump attends the Istanbul talks remains an open question, largely depending on whether Putin will be present."

"Everything is very dynamic right now," the official said, adding that "no one knows much" about what this Thursday will look like.

In addition, according to the official, the possibility of Trump attending the negotiations is "putting serious pressure on Putin."

At the same time, the media outlet notes, regardless of whether Trump is in Istanbul, Kellogg and Witkoff plan to serve as "observers of the negotiations" between the Ukrainian and Russian sides, mediated by Türkiye.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, previously said she doesn't believe Putin will dare meet with Zelenskyy. In her view, Russia is not interested in peace talks with Ukraine in Türkiye and is simply trying to buy time.

Russian opposition political scientist Ivan Preobrazhensky also told RBC-Ukraine he doubts that Putin will attend the talks in Türkiye. According to Preobrazhensky, the chances that the Russian dictator will go are "a 1 in 100."

Meanwhile, President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he would try to persuade Putin to attend the meeting with Zelenskyy in Türkiye.

"It costs me nothing to say to him: 'Hey, comrade Putin, go to Istanbul and negotiate, for God's sake,'" Inácio Lula da Silva stated.

Furthermore, an informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers will take place in parallel with the potential direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Türkiye. It will be held in Antalya and include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Today, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will also be in Antalya, having arrived at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan. The Minister will hold meetings with Ukraine's partners to coordinate diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a just peace, his Ministry said.

Sources: statements by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his press conference, as well as publications by The Washington Post, Russian media outlet Agency Fox News, CNN, and Reuters.