Putin does not travel to Istanbul, Trump leaves participation open – DiePresse.com

Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin Do not travel to Istanbul for the negotiations to end the Ukraine War on Thursday. As the head of a multi -member delegation, he sends his consultant Vladimir Medinski to Turkeyaccording to the Kremlin. This arrived in the Turkish metropolis on Thursday morning. Foreign Minister Sergei also Lavrov will not take part in the direct conversations.

Putin had proposed the direct conversations in Istanbul himself – in response to the Ukrainian President’s request Wolodymyr Selenskyj After an unconditional ceasefire that should have started on Monday. Until the end, Putin left open whether he would travel personally.

Selenskij wants to meet Erdogan first

The meeting takes place behind closed doors, the press has no access, reported Tass Referring to a person familiar with the negotiations. The Dolmabahce Palace was selected as a place. A precise time for the start of the negotiations was not yet clear in the morning.

It was initially unclear how Ukraine reacts to Putin’s absence and whether it still engages in the conversations with this Russian delegation. The Ukrainian President Selenskij had insisted that they only personally negotiate with Putin. He first wanted to go with the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan Meet in Ankara and then decide on participating in the negotiations, the Reuters news agency reported.

Trump: « Would go there on Friday if it were appropriate »

US President Donald Trump has not completely excluded participation in talks. He could travel to Turkey to the Russian-Ukrainian talks on Friday, « if it was appropriate », says Trump during a visit to Katar’s capital Doha. « I thought about going about it, but it’s very difficult, » says Trump. « If something should happen, I would go there on Friday if it were appropriate. » He hoped that Russia and Ukraine could achieve something. « It has to stop. »

Trump, who is on a Middle East trip, had explained that he could also travel to the talks between Ukraine and Russia, even if the Russian President Vladimir Putin came. After Putin’s cancellation, however, it was said in US government groups that Trump would no longer be added.

USA want to see progress

Trump is according to US foreign minister Marco Rubio Open for every mechanism that would lead to a fair peace between Ukraine and Russia. The United States wanted to see progress in the next few days, Rubio said before an informal meeting of NATO Foreign Minister in Antalya. There is no military solution to the conflict.

Rubio had his Ukrainian colleague on Wednesday Andrij Sybiha met. He said Rubio the « Peace Vision » Selenskijs, Sybiha said on Wednesday evening. It is important « that Russia replies the constructive steps of Ukraine ». Moscow must understand « that the rejection of peace has a high price, » added Sybiha.

Mutual allegations

Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of having no real interest in peace negotiations. Moscow emphasized that Kiev with western weapons aid would continue to fight for recapturing the areas incorporated by Russia. Kiev, in turn, feared that Moscow would primarily occupy other Ukrainian areas in order to destroy the state’s statehood.

Ukraine and Russia are largely relating to the United States as an intermediary in the conflict. Most recently, there were negotiations in March with the mediation of the Americans in Saudi Arabia – each separated with the Russian and the Ukrainian side. There were no direct conversations between Russians and Ukrainians in Riad, as did a fundamental agreement between the warring parties.

Direct conversations between Russians and Ukrainians about the end of the bloodshed in 2022 after the start of the war in Turkey. At that time, the signing of an agreement failed. (APA/Reuters/Red.)