Selenskij wants to « wait for Putin » in Turkey on Thursday – DiePresse.com

The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskij is with his offer of conversation to Kremlin boss Wladimir Putin went on the offensive. « I will wait for Putin in Turkey on Thursday, » personally, « Selenskij wrote on the platform X. Shortly before, Selenskij was pushed by US President Donald Trump to participate in Putin’s talks. The Russian president had proposed the resumption of direct peace talks in Turkey.

However, Putin did not explicitly said that he would travel to it himself. Selenskij expressed hope that « the Russians are not looking for excuses ».

Trump doubts Putin

Trump had argued, only if the Ukrainian head of state agreed to the talks, Kiev, the European partners and the United States know what they are and could be accordingly. The Republican commented on his online language tube Truth Social at the same time that Putin wanted to conclude a peace agreement.

This is too busy « celebrating the victory in World War II ». Trump played on that Parade in Moscow on the day of victory over Nazi Germany on Friday.

« I doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, » writes Trump. « Putin does not want ceasefire with Ukraine, but instead he wants a meeting on Thursday in Turkey to negotiate about a possible end of the bloodbath. » Then you will « be able to determine whether a deal is possible or not. »

« Expect a clear answer from Russia »

In his post, Selenskij emphasized that Ukraine is expecting a « full and permanent break in fire » from Monday to create a necessary basis for diplomacy. « It makes no sense to continue killing. » A reaction is now expected. « The whole world talks about it, we expect Russia a clear answer. » In his evening video approach, Selenskij announced that the Ukrainian armed forces would meanwhile react to the behavior of the Russian troops, « so that it is fair ».

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha called Selenskijs’s initiative « of a true leader ». « It is highly unlikely that the Russian side will have a spark of such a courage, » he wrote on the X.

An answer from the Kremlin to Selenskij’s willingness to talk and the demands for a break of fire stood for the time being.

Türkiye wants to align talks

Turkey has agreed to organize the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. As early as 2022 shortly after the start of the war, Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul ultimately had unsuccessful negotiations on the end of the fighting.

Hope and wait for a break

The United States, Europe and Ukraine are waiting for whether Russia meet the demand for an immediate, 30-day break of fire as a prerequisite and prerequisite for peace talks. « We expect Moscow that it now agrees with a ceasefire that can make real conversations possible in the first place, » said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his visit to Kiev at the weekend. « First the weapons have to be silent, then conversations can begin. »

The German federal government insists on this point. « The fact that the order must be so, first the ceasefire and then the conversations, that is actually the common common sense, » said Chancellor Department Thorsten Frei in the ARD program « Caren Miosga ». « So, you now need a credible sign that there is a real will that such conversations not only take place, but also lead to success. »

So far, Russia has shown no willingness to comply with this demand. In an interview by the US broadcaster ABC, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow had to consider that Ukraine could « abuse » a ceasefire to bring reinforcements to the front and to receive new weapons from abroad.

Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Strandmer, French President Macron and Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, had ultimately called for a ceasefire from Russia with Selenskij from this Monday. Otherwise, Russia threatened further sanctions.

Ukraine conference in London: ceasefire or sanctions

In London, the threatened sanctions could already be on the agenda today. British Foreign Minister David Lammy receives representatives from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland and the EU as well as the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha. The conference of the so-called Weimar+Group, an expansion of the Weimar triangle from Germany, France and Poland, follows the visit of European heads in Kiev on Saturday.

Lammy emphasized the importance of the Ukraine conference for the « collective security » of Europe. « The challenge in front of which we are standing not only affects the future of Ukraine – it is existential for Europe as a whole, » he was cited in a statement by the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ukraine has the right to « just and permanent peace, » it said there. The European heads of state and government should support this unshakably. (APA/dpa)