Ukrainian President Zelensky said at a press conference held at the Ukrainian embassy in Turkey on the 15th that he himself will not attend the Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul. Ukraine will send a high-level delegation to participate in the negotiations.
Zelensky arrived in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, at noon on the 15th and later held hours of closed-door talks with Turkish President Erdogan at the presidential palace. Subsequently, Zelensky stated this at a press conference held at the Ukrainian embassy in Turkey.
He said that the Ukrainian delegation would be led by Defense Minister Umerov and include representatives from the military and intelligence agencies.
He stated that Russia is “not serious” about peace talks, but he is still prepared to hold direct talks with Putin.
He said: “Unfortunately, they are not serious enough about the negotiations. I am here, and we are ready for direct negotiations.”
Additionally, Russian Presidential Assistant and Russian chief negotiator Medinsky stated on the 15th that the Russian delegation has the necessary ability and authority for negotiations and is committed to seeking possible solutions to the conflict and points of agreement in a constructive manner.
He stated that the goal of direct negotiations with Ukraine is to establish enduring peace and eliminate the roots of the conflict.
Latest reports indicate that the talks between Turkey and the Russian representatives ended on the 15th; the Ukrainian representatives will join the negotiations on the 16th, with Turkey acting as a mediator to initiate a new round of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine since 2022.