Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (proper) shakes fingers with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy throughout their assembly at Turkey’s presidential palace in Ankara, Thursday.
Turkish Presidency/AP
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Turkish Presidency/AP
KYIV and MOSCOW — Hopes for substantive talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine light on Thursday, after days of intense hypothesis that Russian President Vladimir Putin and even perhaps President Trump would attend.
Just one chief — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — confirmed up in Turkey. He final met Putin face-to-face in 2019. Now he has accused the Russian chief of being afraid to fulfill once more as Russia continues to assault Ukraine.
In a call solely made public on the eve of the talks, Putin named a gaggle of mid-level technocrats to steer the Russian delegation. The Kremlin’s spokesman later confirmed that Putin wouldn’t be becoming a member of them.
Talking from the tarmac after arriving Thursday in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, Zelenskyy instructed reporters that Putin was sending “stand-in props” in his place.
“We have to perceive the extent of the Russian delegation, what their mandate is, and whether or not they’re able to making any choices on their very own,” Zelenskyy stated. “As a result of everyone knows who makes the choices in Russia.”
But the pinnacle of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, insisted his workforce had come to Turkey knowledgeable of the Kremlin’s positions and with full authority to barter.
Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky speaks to journalists on the Russian Consulate in Istanbul, Thursday.
Francisco Seco/AP
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Francisco Seco/AP
“The objective of direct talks with the Ukrainian facet is to eventually set up a long-term peace that takes under consideration the roots of the battle,” Medinsky stated to a scrum of reporters outdoors the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul.
There was one catch: Zelenskyy and a lot of the Ukrainian delegation have been nonetheless in Ankara, almost 300 miles away.
Zelenskyy later confirmed he would ship his workforce to fulfill with the Russians in Istanbul, although the precise begin date of the discussions remained unclear. Zelenskyy himself is not going to participate within the discussions.
Putin known as for direct talks. Zelenskyy challenges him to fulfill in individual
Putin proposed direct talks with Ukraine in a shock announcement to international journalists on the Kremlin Sunday — an obvious counteroffer to an ultimatum by Ukraine and its Western allies to conform to an instantaneous 30-day ceasefire by Could 12 or face additional sanctions.
Putin didn’t deal with the ceasefire proposal, however prompt the 2 sides as a substitute collect in Istanbul, which hosted failed negotiations between Russia and Ukraine again in 2022.
It was unclear whether or not Putin himself ever meant to participate.
Zelenskyy dedicated to attend the negotiations — and challenged Putin to do the identical.
President Trump, at present touring within the Center East, additionally stated he was open to creating an look — inflating hopes the Kremlin chief would possibly settle for.
But, talking from Doha, Qatar, on Thursday, Trump reversed course. Trump stated he’d by no means given a dedication to attend and did not assume Putin would go “if I do not go.”
“And that turned out to be proper,” added Trump. “However now we have folks there.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO summit, and will be a part of the talks.
Trump additionally left the door open to participating with the talks at a later date “if it was applicable” — including that “nothing’s going to occur till Putin and I get collectively” by way of securing a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
It is a growing story, which can be up to date.
