Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv will send a delegation led by defence minister Rustem Umerov for direct talks with a Russian team in Istanbul.
During a press conference in Ankara following a meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mr Zelensky hit out at the level of the Russian delegation – saying it proves Moscow is not serious about peace.
“Russia does not feel that it needs to end (the war), which means there is not enough political, economic and other pressure on the Russian Federation,” he said, asking for “appropriate sanctions”. He had earlier accused Moscow of sending “stand-in props” for talks with Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky also challenged Vladimir Putin to “demonstrate his leadership” and meet face-to-face – something the Russian president has declined to do this week.
“You want to meet? Let’s meet,” the Ukrainian president said, afterwards adding: “I believe that the US now and Turkey feel Russia’s disrespect. [Russia provided] no time of meeting, no agenda, no high-level delegation.”
Earlier today, Mr Trump said a peace deal isn’t going to happen until he and Vladimir Putin “get together” after the Russian president shunned direct negotiations with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey.
