Zelensky: "I will personally meet Putin on May 15 in Istanbul"
Former US President Donald Trump called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to urgently accept the negotiations proposed by Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He made this statement with a sharp and firm declaration on his Truth Social social network.
According to Trump, this meeting, which could take place in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 15, could resolve the situation between Kyiv and Moscow or, at the very least, come to a clear agreement on the effectiveness of these negotiations.
“Ukraine must immediately agree to Putin's offer! At the very least, this negotiation will determine whether the parties can reach an agreement or not. If an agreement is not possible, European and US leaders will be able to clearly understand the situation and determine the next steps,” said the former US leader.
Trump also emphasized that Ukraine cannot win this conflict without US assistance and reminded that Vladimir Putin is preoccupied with the celebrations of victory in World War II:
“I am starting to doubt Zelensky's willingness to accept Putin's offer. Because Ukraine cannot win this war without the US! They can't even come close to it!” said Trump.
At the same time, Trump concluded his address in a very sharp manner: “Meet now!”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, openly stated his readiness for a face-to-face meeting with Putin and emphasized that he hopes for a complete and long-term ceasefire starting from May 12:
“Tomorrow we expect a complete and permanent cessation of fire from Russia. This will create an important ground for starting diplomatic negotiations. There is no point in continuing the war and sacrifices. Therefore, I will personally meet Putin on May 15 in Istanbul,” Zelensky said on his Telegram page.
It should be noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to resume direct negotiations with Ukraine during a press conference held at the Kremlin on the night of May 11. He called for the negotiations, which were suspended in 2022, to be restarted in Istanbul on May 15 without any preliminary conditions.
The global public is currently eagerly awaiting the meeting between the two sides in Istanbul and its outcomes. This meeting could be a historic opportunity to peacefully resolve the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
The Zamin.uz editorial team is closely monitoring the situation and will keep its readers updated with new information.
