“Still, we are considering sending someone at the appropriate level to at least hear what these people have to say and whether they are able to decide at least anything. If they are willing to have a serious conversion, we may engage in it. Otherwise, we will have the right to conclude that this is a Russian charade, not meaningful work for peace,” the official added.
After a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, Zelenskyy said he was sending a delegation, led by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, to talk to the Russians and Americans in Istanbul. He said he agreed to that out of respect for Erdoğan and Trump.
Ukraine’s leader will not attend, though, after Putin snubbed the meeting. Zelenskyy is instead going to European Political Community summit in Tirana with Erdoğan on Friday.
“Our team will be there ready to discuss ceasefire tomorrow,” Zelenskyy said, adding: “We will not recognize all occupied territories as Russian.”
“We want [a] demonstration of pressure on Russia, on Putin. Sanctions from Europe and United States as a minimum.” Zelenskyy added.
If negotiations take place, these will be the first official Ukraine-Russia talks since a March 2022 Istanbul meeting, which was blown up by the discovery of a massacre committed by Russian forces in the town of Bucha near Kyiv.