An absence of Putin in Istanbul would be the « ultimate signal » that Moscow does not want to stop war according to Kyiv – Liberation
No poutine, no peace. Kyiv said on Tuesday, May 13, that the absence of Russian president Vladimir Putin on negotiations scheduled for Thursday in Istanbul, where his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky should go, would be a sign that Moscow does not wish to stop the war.
« I think that if Vladimir Putin refuses to go to Turkey, it will be the ultimate signal that Russia does not want to end this war, which it is not willing to negotiate »can we read in a press release published on the website of the Ukrainian presidency citing Andriï Iermak, the right arm of Volodymyr Zelensky. The Kremlin refused on Tuesday to comment on the appeal launched by the Ukrainian president.
After European allies in Kyiv he enjoined him to declare a ceasefire of 30 days from May 12Vladimir Putin had declared himself ready on Saturday to discussions « Direct » Between Russians and Ukrainians May 15 in Istanbul. Volodymyr Zelensky had replied by proposing to meet the master of the Kremlin « in person » in this same city.
“The Russian party continues to prepare for the negotiations which must take place on Thursday. That’s all we can say. For the time being, we are not planning to comment more ”, Browed the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov. Asked about the composition of the Russian negotiation team, he also kicked up: « As soon as the president deems it necessary, we will announce it. »
These possible talks follow up on the ultimatum posed by the European partners of Ukraine and Washington, who, in a rare alignment on the Ukrainian file, threatened Vladimir Putin de « Lourdes sanctions » In case of refusal of a ceasefire. President Donald Trump, traveling to the Middle East this Tuesdaysaid the day before his departure that he « Considered » to go to Türkiye for these possible Russian-Ukrainian discussions. Such direct talks would have been unpublished since the first months of the Russian invasion 2022, when discussions between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators had failed to end the conflict.
