Zelenskyy ready to talk only with Putin during possible Istanbul negotiations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: RBC-Ukraine, Vitalii Nosach)
During possible negotiations in Istanbul, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to talk only with the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, according to the head of the President’s Office, Mykhailo Podolyak.
Podolyak was asked how Zelenskyy would act in the event that Putin does not come to the negotiations and whether he could meet with someone other than Putin from the Russian side.
"No, of course not. That’s not the format. The president cannot meet... especially Medinsky – it’s not quite a clear status... Well, it’s unlikely this person is sufficient to discuss fundamental issues," Podolyak replied.
He noted that the structure of power in Russia is already obvious to everyone and that even Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov or Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin are unlikely to be authorized to make certain decisions.
"That is, to make a decision about the continuation or termination of the war can only be Putin. Well, maybe there is still a small circle around him that discusses how many more people need to be killed," said Podolyak.
According to him, the structure of the negotiation process in Istanbul is obvious: there is a person who makes decisions on the side of Ukraine, and there is a person who makes decisions on the side of Russia. And everything else is a formal presence without result.
"Again, this is a waste of time. What is the point of holding a meeting at a lower level," stated Podolyak.
Possible negotiations
We remind you that the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, during a press conference, refused to support the proposal of Ukraine, the USA, and the countries of the “coalition of the willing” regarding a ceasefire planned for May 12.
At the same time, he declared his desire to resume peace negotiations in Istanbul from the point where they were interrupted in 2022. These negotiations are to take place on May 15.
In response, Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s readiness for negotiations but emphasized that negotiations are possible only if Russia agrees to a ceasefire starting from May 12.
Later, Zelenskyy stated that he wanted direct negotiations immediately with the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. At the same time, Trump admitted that he could participate in the talks between the two leaders.
