5 days Ago
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine confirmed that a delegation would be attending the talks in Istanbul but complained about the high ranking of members of the Russian team. Russia’s negotiations will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, who was also the lead negotiator in 2022. Despite the backlash, Medinsky said the professionals in his team had “all the necessary competencies” to hold the negotiations. President Trump, who is traveling in the Middle East, only doubled down on Rubio’s complaint, suggesting that there was little hope for progress until he and Putin meet face to face. When questioned about the level of the Russian deputation, Trump said, "Nothing is going to happen; until Putin and I sit down, we won't have anything. “We have got to get it solved, because too many people are dying,” he added. He also said he would be prepared to come to the meeting on Friday but added that he could return to Washington.
Delegations Prepared for Talks in Istanbul
The planned talks in Istanbul would be the first direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia since 2022. They had been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, but as of evening no definite time had been set, and there were reports that they might be postponed to Friday. It comes after a Russian offer of take place on May 15 prompted calls for a 30-day unconditional truce.
Zelensky invited Putin to meet in person, a proposal to which he received a reply that Putin would not be among the traveling delegates. Speaking after a summit meeting with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Zelensky attacked the Russian lineup of negotiators as "a personal disrespect" to both Trump and Erdogan. For Russia, these negotiations are a follow-up to the failed talks in 2022. Medinsky said they are seeking long-term peace by addressing the primary reasons behind the conflict.
Ukraine's delegation will be headed by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and will comprise deputy leaders of military intelligence, the general staff and the foreign ministry. Russia will be represented by Medinsky, the deputy defence and foreign ministers and the head of military intelligence. The Kremlin has indicated that it would like to see the terms that were discussed in 2022 — Ukraine switching to neutral status, reducing its armed forces and pledging not to join NATO — reinstated, terms that Ukraine has continuously declined to accept.
The war in eastern Ukraine couldn't be a better inspiration for a slap in the face.
As diplomatic initiatives restart, the fighting on the ground rages. Russia said on Thursday that its forces had seized two more villages in eastern Donetsk and were in control of them. Moscow now controls some 20% of Ukraine, including Crimea, annexed five years ago.
The UK's defence secretary, John Healey, recently called on Ukraine's backers to ramp up sanctions pressure on Russia. Meeting with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius in Berlin, Healey said it was efforts by the international community that needed to force Putin to the negotiating table.
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