Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has committed to waiting in Turkey for face-to-face discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, viewing it as a key test of Russia's desire for peace. While Zelenskyy expressed willingness to travel to Istanbul if needed, he indicated that any absence from Putin would signal a lack of commitment to ending the conflict. The U.S. is encouraging Ukraine to attend the talks, amid mixed responses from European allies, while Zelenskyy anticipates significant sanctions should Putin refuse to engage in negotiations.
Zelenskyy emphasized, "If Putin does not arrive and plays games, it is the final point that he does not want to end the war."
The Ukrainian leader stated, "It is with [Putin] that I must negotiate a ceasefire, as only he can decide on it."
Zelenskyy urged the US to impose its toughest sanctions if Putin rejected meeting, saying, "He is afraid of direct negotiations with me."
Putin's direct talks proposal comes as Washington pushes for Ukraine to engage, despite European calls for a ceasefire from Russia first.
Collection
[
|
...
]