Talks in Istanbul were initiated by Putin on Sunday in response to the West Ultimatum regarding the suspension of weapons. However, Putin sent low -level officials, to the dissatisfaction of Kiev and the West.
At a press conference after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Zelanski – who previously called Putin to participate in the conversations in person – he said that he could skip the meeting with Putin, If a 30-day unconditional weapon suspension is achieved on the same day.
– If the unconditional suspension of weapons can be achieved today at the level of technical groups, without leaders, no problem. The meeting is not necessary – said Zelanski, according to the Ukrainian portal Ukrinform.
“Crimea is part of our country”
Defense Minister Rust Umerow is to lead the Ukrainian delegation in the upcoming conversations in Istanbul. Vladimir Miedinski, a collaborator of Putin and former minister of culture, heads the Russian delegation.
Zelanski said that similar negotiations took place in the past, repeating his earlier doubts whether such conversations will bring measurable results Without the participation of the highest management.
– The problem is that these are not the first negotiations. Negotiations took place in various formats. You saw Saudi Arabia, you saw several meetings: in London, France … Meetings on various platforms. Today it is Türkiye – said Zelanski. – It's very complicated. You know, in Saudi Arabia there were slightly different formats – added Zelanski, reminding of Saudi conversations in March, which resulted in the suspension of weapons in the Black Sea and in the energy sector, which, however, was not observed.
Zełenski added that Ukraine will not recognize Russian control over its territories according to the Ukrainian constitution. He said that Ukraine's position was supported by the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
– Crimea is part of our country. Türkiye, thank God, supports this position. He understands it. Supports the United Nations card. He supports that Crimea is Ukraine, Crimea is a Ukrainian peninsula – said Zelanski.
– President Erdogan himself always begins a conversation with me when we talk about the issue of Ukraine and territorial integrity, he always says: “I confirm again, I support Ukraine's territorial integrity. We do not consider temporarily occupied territories, we do not consider them as Russian. The Crimean Peninsula is Ukrainian.” And he always supports it – added Zelanski, according to the Ukrainian portal Unian.
President of Ukraine Wołodymyr Zelnski and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, May 15 2o25.
Earlier, the West called for sanctions against Moscow, if it did not comply with the unconditional suspension of weapons by Monday, May 12, but later he said that Moscow has a week to demonstrate progressbefore sanctions occur.
The Kremlin assured that in Istanbul the delegation will try to take care of the so -called The fundamental causes of the invasion, which in the past meant demanding properly defenseless Ukraine.
