The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has stated his willingness to meet Vladimir Putin in person in Turkey and is counting on the support of the Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. According to the head of state, high-level talks are necessary to resolve issues on which the Ukrainian and Russian delegations have been unable to reach agreement.
Briefly about the main points
- Zelenskyy proposed a face-to-face meeting with Putin on Turkish soil.
- The President of Ukraine is counting on Erdogan’s help in organising the talks.
- Kyiv insists that territorial issues be discussed directly at the leadership level.
- Trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia are being organised for the first half of November.
Zelenskyy explained why a meeting with Putin is necessary
The Ukrainian President emphasised that some of the issues concerning the end of the war require direct discussion with the person who makes the final decisions in Russia.
«That is precisely why I want to meet him as a decision-maker,» explained Zelenskyy.
The President is counting on support Erdogan in organising such talks. Turkey has already served on numerous occasions as a venue for diplomatic contacts between the Ukrainian and Russian sides.
31 October Zelensky spent talks with Erdogan in Istanbul, during which the parties discussed the possibility of holding a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Ukraine, the US and Russia.
According to the Ukrainian president, Erdogan is keen to hold talks on Turkish territory and intends to discuss this initiative with the US president Donald Trump і Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine is preparing for trilateral talks in November
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine, the US and Russia are working to organise the next round of talks in the first half of November. The possibility of involving Turkey and European partners is being considered separately.
«We discussed with the President the prospects for this format and other possibilities, in particular the possibility of involving Turkey, Europe and all our partners, as well as the possibility of holding a meeting here in Turkey,» said the Head of State following talks with Erdoğan.
Zelenskyy had previously stated that Ukraine was expecting a trilateral meeting meetings of technical working groups in Abu Dhabi, tentatively between 6 and 10 November. At the same time, he left open the possibility of a change in the venue for the talks.
Kyiv also insists that territorial issues should be discussed directly at the leadership level, whilst technical delegations can work on other aspects of potential agreements.
At present, there is no officially agreed date for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. The Russian side has not confirmed that its leader will take part in the proposed talks in Turkey.
