Read NV on Google
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is unlikely to show up for direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 15 in Istanbul, Zelenskyy told Germany’s Spiegel on May 14.
During a conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelenskyy suggested holding the meeting in Ankara. However, the Ukrainian president said that if Putin agrees to come, he is ready to meet in Istanbul.
“First, I don’t really believe that Putin is capable of meeting,” said Zelenskyy.
“I think he’s afraid. But if his economy takes a heavy blow [from tighter sanctions], his people — the Russians — will feel it too. So, in my view, there is still a chance he might come.”
Despite their “stark differences in views and values,” Zelenskyy stated that a meeting with Putin is necessary to help end the fighting. He acknowledged that reaching agreement on every issue is unlikely, but said both sides must find a way to stop the war.
“There are issues that need to be discussed directly with Putin, after which technical details can be worked out in another format,” he added.
“If I meet with Putin, it should result in a political victory — either a ceasefire or a prisoner exchange. And if he doesn’t come, then it means he doesn’t want a political victory.”
He then said that Ukraine’s next steps in the Istanbul negotiations would depend on which Russian official arrives in Turkey on May 15. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said May 13 that the Russian delegation would be in Istanbul on May 15, waiting for the Ukrainian side.
The Washington Post reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Presidential Advisor Yuri Ushakov, who handles foreign policy for Putin, might travel to Turkey for the talks. However, Russian propaganda newspaper Kommersant said May 14, citing unnamed sources, that Lavrov would not take part in the meetings.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
