Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the talks but sent a mid-level representative instead of attending them himself.
The first direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks held in Turkey in more than three years have ended in less than two hours. There were no visible signs of progress in the talks.
A Ukrainian source claimed that Russia’s demands for a ceasefire are unrealistic and unacceptable. Meanwhile, no official response has been given by Russia on this issue yet.
The face-to-face meeting took place on Friday (May 16) at a Turkish palace, which is the first direct meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in March 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the talks but sent a mid-level representative instead of attending them himself. Ukraine also participated in the talks through an equivalent representative.
A Ukrainian source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russia has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from its territory so that a ceasefire can be implemented. It is a “non-starter” and “insensitive” condition.
During the 2022 Istanbul talks, Russia set conditions for Ukraine to reduce its military, become a neutral state and not join NATO. In the current talks, Russia has returned to those previous positions, which Ukraine has rejected.
Zelensky’s chief aide, Andriy Yermak, said that Russia wants to make the new talks a continuation of the failed 2022 talks. Their attempt will never succeed.
Ahead of Friday’s (May 16) talks, US President Donald Trump said that there would be no progress in the peace process without a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which has largely dashed any hope that there was for the talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that our first and main goal is a full, unconditional and effective ceasefire. If Russia does not agree to that, then they should be subject to tough new sanctions on the energy and banking sectors.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that two paths are open before us. One towards peace and the other towards more destruction and death. Which path to choose will be determined by the relevant authorities.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that I do not want my prediction to be correct. I want tomorrow’s news to say that there is a ceasefire. But the reality is, I do not expect progress.
The Russian army currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory. Ukraine is putting up a strong resistance to this aggression and is seeking security guarantees from world powers. However, the future of the talks is uncertain. There has been no announcement yet on when the next meeting will be held.
