Source link : https://london-news.net/first-peace-talks-in-three-years-as-ukraine-and-russia-meet-in-istanbul/
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he dispatched a delegation to Istanbul for the first direct peace negotiations with Russia in the past three years. However, he tempered hopes for progress, stating that Moscow was “not serious” about concluding the conflict.
President Vladimir Putin turned down Zelensky’s daring proposal to meet face-to-face during the talks, appointing his aide and former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky to head the negotiations instead. Medinsky was also in charge of the unsuccessful peace talks with Ukraine that took place in 2022 shortly after the start of the full-scale invasion.
As Russian negotiators arrived in Istanbul on Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry indicated that they were “ready for serious work,” although specifics of the talks remained unclear just hours before they were set to commence.
Zelensky confirmed after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara that Ukraine would be represented by a delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. However, he mentioned that he would not be attending the discussions in Istanbul as Putin opted not to take part.
Earlier, Zelensky expressed skepticism regarding the composition of Russia’s negotiation team.
“Nothing has been officially confirmed, but from what we’ve seen, it seems more like a theatrical performance than a serious endeavor,” he was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “What we do know for certain is who truly makes…
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Publish date : 2025-05-16 13:12:00
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