Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called this a hard red line. This is the only thing that would persuade him to go direct in the upcoming trilateral talks this Thursday in Turkey. Zelensky’s position comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to meet directly in an effort to cut through months of fighting between the two countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made clear his willingness to host this high-level, path-breaking diplomacy.
Zelensky further signaled his intransigence by announcing that he wouldn’t be meeting with any other Russian representatives either. He claimed that “everything in Russia rests” on Putin. He reaffirmed his commitment to diplomacy, stating, “Ukraine always supports diplomacy. I am ready to be in Turkey.” In a post on X, former Twitter, Zelensky repeated calls for Moscow to respond to Ukraine’s proposal for a humanitarian ceasefire. He added that the world is still waiting for a definitive response from Russia on multiple proposed ceasefires.
The Ukrainian president denied any need for direct talks after Putin extended his invitation. Namely, that he would be willing to detour to Turkey “if I believed it would be productive.” Zelensky indicated that he was hopeful about what could come out of the meeting. He made the point that direct communication with Putin is necessary to ending the war.
“So I said that on the 15th I will go to Turkey and I’m ready to meet Putin and an end to the war was through direct talks with him.” – Volodymyr Zelensky
In a significant turn, Zelensky extended an invitation for former U.S. President Donald Trump to participate in the discussions. He thinks that it might take Trump being there to get Putin to show up. Zelensky stated, “It is important that President Trump fully supports the meeting, and we would like him to find the opportunity to be in Turkey.” And indeed, as the Ukrainian ambassador noted, Ukraine “would welcome” Trump’s participation, in recognition of Trump’s past calls for more direct talks between himself and Putin.
Trump answered Zelensky’s invitation by saying he would look forward to being there, before stoking further anticipation. He told us, “I don’t know where I’m going to be on Thursday, I have set so many meetings, but perhaps I’ll fly over there. There’s a chance of that, I suppose, if I believe that things are possible to happen.” Trump expressed hope for positive results from the upcoming discussions, saying, “I think you may have a good result out of the Thursday meeting in Turkey between Russia and Ukraine.”
Tempers are flaring right now. Zelensky predicts that the United States and European countries will announce the next “powerful” sanctions against Russia should Moscow fail to sign a ceasefire by this Thursday. This uncertainty adds to the urgency of the moment, as defenders and occupiers alike contend with the realities of continued violence.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been actively involved in facilitating dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, stating, “A new window of opportunity has opened with the recent contacts. We hope that this opportunity will not be wasted.” Erdogan’s position as a mediator has been key in advancing negotiations to de-escalate tensions.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that any announcement regarding Putin’s participation in the Turkey talks would come at the discretion of the president. “As soon as the president considers it necessary, we will announce it,” Peskov remarked, leaving room for speculation about whether Putin will engage in the talks.
Zelensky plays hardball by demanding to negotiate only with Putin. Taken together, this approach underscores the intricacies of the conflict and the need to focus on direct, high-level diplomatic engagement. Both leaders now are preparing for a very important meeting in Turkey. The international community is paying close attention, hoping for a sign of success that might end this years long conflict.
