Zelenskyy: We will do everything to ensure meeting with Putin takes place — anywhere in Türkiye
Photo: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach / RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine is ready for negotiations with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in Türkiye on May 15, both in Ankara and Istanbul. Everything possible will be done to ensure that this meeting takes place, states President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference.
The head of state shared that he had spoken with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan about the negotiations in Türkiye on May 15.
"We discussed with President Erdoğan that I will have a meeting with him in the capital of Türkiye. That’s Ankara. It will take place on Thursday, the 15th. We will be waiting for the meeting with Putin in Türkiye," Zelenskyy said.
Ankara or Istanbul
However, he emphasized that he would like to clarify everything, "so there are no further manipulations from Russia and their leader." Zelenskyy, reportedly, is ready to meet Putin anywhere in Türkiye.
"So that Russia doesn’t manipulate cities and say that Putin is not ready to fly to Ankara, but is only willing to go to Istanbul. I want to say right away that if Putin flies to Istanbul instead of the capital, I have conveyed the message to President Erdoğan, and the Turkish side is ready that Erdoğan and I will fly to Istanbul," the President added.
Ceasefire
He emphasized that in any case, Ukraine would do everything possible to ensure that this meeting takes place.
"If Putin is truly ready to meet not just in the media but in real life, then at the leadership level, we will do everything to agree on a ceasefire. Because he is the one I need to negotiate a ceasefire with. He is the only one who decides on this," the president stated.
Zelenskyy also mentioned that Ukraine had proposed to US President Donald Trump to join the talks in Türkiye, although his participation has not yet been confirmed.
"I don’t know the decision of the US president. But in any case, if he were to confirm his participation, I believe it would give an additional impulse for Putin to come," Zelenskyy concluded.
Meeting in Türkiye
In the early hours of May 11, Putin proposed during a press conference to hold talks between Ukraine and Russia on May 15 in Istanbul, suggesting a return to the stage at which negotiations were interrupted in 2022.
Later, Zelenskyy stated that he was immediately ready for direct negotiations with the Russian President.
Zelenskyy also held a conversation with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, regarding possible talks between Ukraine and Russia.
In turn, US President Donald Trump also admitted that he might take part in the dialogue between the two leaders.
Today, it became known that US President’s special representatives, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul to participate in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. However, whether Trump himself will attend remains unclear — it largely depends on whether Putin takes part.
