Putin Zelenskiy meeting possible under certain conditions

Putin Zelenskiy meeting possible under certain conditions

Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are set to resume in Turkey on Friday, marking the first direct engagement between the two sides since the war began in February 2022. The meeting, however, will not include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or Russian President Vladimir Putin, who have been notably absent from the negotiations [1].

The talks, scheduled to take place at the Turkish Presidency working office in Istanbul, will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a senior aide to Putin, and Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's Defense Minister. The absence of Putin and Zelensky has sparked criticism from various international leaders, including US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of attending the talks himself [2].

Trump, who has been vocal about the need for direct negotiations between Putin and Zelensky, stated that "nothing is going to happen until" he meets with Putin. He also expressed his disappointment with Putin's decision to send a low-level delegation instead of attending the talks himself [3].

The meeting comes amidst ongoing hostilities between the two countries, with Ukraine accusing Russia of launching overnight attacks as the talks began. Over the past 24 hours, at least two civilians were killed and 11 people were wounded in shelling and other Russian attacks [4].

In response to Putin's no-show, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged fresh sanctions against Moscow. "The fact that President Zelenskyy traveled to Turkey despite this is an enormous gesture. Putin didn’t show up – and that put him in the wrong," Merz wrote on X [5].

The meeting is expected to be a significant step towards resolving the conflict, despite the absence of key figures. However, the outcome remains uncertain, and many international leaders have expressed low expectations for a breakthrough [6].

References:
[1] CNN. (2023). Peace talks: Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are expected to meet in Turkey on Friday. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-intl-05-16-25
[2] CNN. (2023). Trump skips the talks, too: Another key figure who won’t be there is US President Donald Trump. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-intl-05-16-25
[3] CNN. (2023). Trump says he plans to set up meeting with Putin. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-intl-05-16-25
[4] CNN. (2023). Ukraine accuses Russia of launching overnight attacks as Turkey talks set to begin. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-intl-05-16-25
[5] CNN. (2023). German leader threatens Russia with fresh sanctions over no-show at Istanbul talks. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-intl-05-16-25
[6] CNN. (2023). Here is what we know about the Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Turkey. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-intl-05-16-25