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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced he will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday, ahead of potential peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul.
During a press conference in Kyiv, Zelenskyy expressed hope for face-to-face negotiations with Putin to secure a cease-fire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"I will have a meeting with President Erdogan in the Turkish capital on May 15. This will be in Ankara on Thursday," Zelenskyy stated. "I am ready to meet with him (Putin). We haven't worked on or discussed other formats so far."
Zelenskyy emphasized that a successful meeting could lead to significant progress toward ending the war. "We can achieve a result that is much more important than any emotions. The result is the end of the war. The first step is a ceasefire. Everyone supports it unconditionally. Let's do this," he said.
The Ukrainian leader recalled that they had previously proposed a 30-day ceasefire to Russia, later amended to an unconditional ceasefire at the suggestion of the United States, but claimed Russia rejected these proposals.
If the talks in Istanbul prove successful, Zelenskyy believes a cease-fire could be achieved. "I think a cease-fire. Under current conditions, no other outcome would be sufficient. A ceasefire is just the first step to end the war," he stated.
Zelenskyy also revealed that he has invited U.S. President Donald Trump to participate in the Istanbul talks, saying, "His participation would be an additional driving force to compel Putin to attend."
According to unnamed officials, Trump's Special Representatives for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, will attend the talks in Istanbul. Kellogg expressed optimism about the potential meeting: "We hope President Putin will come too, and then President Trump will be there as well. This could certainly be an incredible meeting. If all three leaders sit down and talk, I truly believe we can achieve peace very quickly."
It remains unclear who will represent Russia at the negotiations. If Putin attends, it would mark the first summit between Putin and Zelenskyy since 2019.
Zelenskyy warned that if Putin refuses to attend the talks in Türkiye, it would serve as "definitive proof that Russia does not want peace" and would necessitate "the strongest package of sanctions" from the United States and Europe.
If Putin does not come to Türkiye on Thursday, Zelenskyy argued it would demonstrate that Russia is not ready to end the war, which would require the United States, European countries, and other allies to impose sanctions on Russia.
Zelenskyy also addressed a decree he signed in 2022 prohibiting negotiations with Russia, noting that this prohibition does not apply to the Ukrainian President.
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