Zelensky Willing to ‘Personally’ Meet With Putin in Istanbul, but Demands Ceasefire Before Talks
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said he would be willing to “personally” meet with Vladimir Putin for peace talks in Istanbul next week, but he continued to demand that a ceasefire be established before negotiations begin.
Following meetings with the leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom in Kyiv to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, President Zelensky and his European counterparts called for a “full, unconditional ceasefire” starting on Monday for 30 days.
In a counter-proposal, Russia’s Vladimir Putin proposed direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv for the first time since 2022. Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that he would be willing to host the parties again in Istanbul next week for a potential redo of failed talks held there in the immediate aftermath of the Russian invasion.
Responding to the proposal on Sunday, Zelensky wrote on X that he would be willing to meet with Putin in Istanbul but demanded that a ceasefire begin on Monday as a prerequisite for such talks.
“We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.” (Read more from “Zelensky Willing to ‘Personally’ Meet With Putin in Istanbul, but Demands Ceasefire Before Talks” HERE)
