Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced plans to travel to Turkey’s capital Ankara on Thursday for direct peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking what could be a major diplomatic turning point in the nearly three-year-old war.
Speaking at a hastily arranged press conference on Tuesday, Zelensky said he was ready to meet Putin face-to-face in Istanbul and called for a 30-day ceasefire, which he said has the backing of Ukraine’s allies.
“We will do everything to ensure that this meeting takes place,” Zelensky told reporters. “This is about saving lives, and the world is watching.”
Russia has yet to confirm if Putin will attend the talks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday only that “Russia continues preparations for the negotiations due on Thursday,” adding that more information would be released “when President Putin deems it necessary.”
The meeting, if it happens, would be the first between the two leaders in over five years and the first since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The last direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow also took place in Istanbul during the early weeks of the war.
Zelensky suggested Putin’s last-minute proposal for talks in Turkey may have been a strategic move, aimed at provoking a misstep from Ukraine. “He wanted us to ignore it or react in a way that would hurt our position,” the Ukrainian leader said.
He made it clear, however, that Ukraine’s stance remains focused on securing a temporary truce. “Our priority is a 30-day ceasefire. That’s what Ukraine wants, and that’s what our allies agree on,” Zelensky emphasized.
In a symbolic show of support, leaders of Ukraine’s major Western allies — including the UK, Germany, France, and Poland — visited Kyiv over the weekend. Their joint message: accept the ceasefire or face further sanctions. The European Union is now drafting its 17th package of sanctions targeting Russia.
Meanwhile, the United States is expected to send senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg to Istanbul, though former President Donald Trump, currently visiting the Gulf region, has not ruled out attending in person. “If I think things can happen, I’ll go,” Trump said, though such a move remains uncertain.
While the Ukrainian government is making strong efforts to secure a direct Zelensky-Putin encounter, the Kremlin is sending mixed signals. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow is willing to negotiate “responsibly,” but questioned Kyiv’s capacity to uphold any agreement.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas supported the idea of talks but voiced skepticism about Moscow’s intentions. “I don’t think he dares, Putin,” she said.
Zelensky’s Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak, went further, claiming that if Putin refuses to come to Istanbul, “it would be the final signal he does not want to end the war.”
As pressure builds and the clock ticks down to Thursday, much hinges on whether the Russian leader will step into the room and commit to a dialogue that could reshape the future of the region.
Follow us on:
