Ukraine and Russia may hold talks in Turkey today but there is confusion over who, if anyone, will attend. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin won’t be taking part, despite calling the talks himself. A Turkish source saidthere was no confirmed meeting “yet.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says he’ll decide on the talks after a meeting with Turkey’s President Erdogan. He’s said he won’t meet anyone from the Russian side other than Putin, and dismissed the Russian delegation as “phony.”
US President Donald Trump is not going to Turkey to mediate the talks. He had repeatedly hinted that he might upend his Middle East travel schedule to join the negotiations after Zelensky said he would be “grateful” for his presence and Trump said Putin would “like me to be there.”
Update:
Talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations will start on Friday, TASS has reported, citing a source close to the organization of the event.
The Russian team has departed for the presidential office, located in the Dolmabahce Palace, where talks between the two delegations are expected to commence.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has responded to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who claimed earlier in the day that “the ball is now on the Russian side” when it comes to stopping the fighting in the Ukraine conflict.
”We have not only the ball, but also the truth on our side. The problem is that no matter how much the NATO hooligans shout from the bench in order to score a goal we need the Ukrainian team on the pitch,” Zakharova said, referring to Kiev’s reluctance to confirm the participation of its delegation in direct talks with Moscow in Istanbul.
Putin declines Zelensky’s Istanbul peace talks proposal; Trump also skipping. Kremlin names representative to lead Russian delegation insteadhttps://t.co/BF8CCWJEh5 pic.twitter.com/Gtf8XhNVS4
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) May 15, 2025
