Several rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia in Türkiye recently have yielded no results. President Zelensky now wants to travel to Istanbul and continue negotiations – even though there are no Russian representatives there.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to revive peace talks with Russia. Zelensky will be received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday, a Ukrainian government official told AFP. The goal is to re-engage the US in peace efforts.
Zelensky wants to “propose a solution”
Ukraine is trying to “revive talks, and we have developed a solution that we will propose to our partners,” Zelensky wrote online. Another goal was to continue the exchange of prisoners of war. Zelensky had previously announced that he would travel to Türkiye following his visit to Spain.
Zelenskyj is currently campaigning for further support in his trip to several European countries. In particular, it is about support for the Ukrainian army and the country’s weak energy infrastructure.
There are no plans to sign any agreements during Zelensky’s visit to Spain. Against the backdrop of Russia’s war of aggression, this would be “an opportunity to reaffirm Spain’s commitment to Ukraine in all areas,” the government in Madrid said.
Witkoff will also likely be present at the discussion
US special envoy Steve Witkoff is also expected to take part in planned talks in Türkiye on Wednesday. This was reported by the Turkish government. The Kremlin said no Russian government officials would travel to Türkiye. However, President Vladimir Putin is open to talks with the United States and Türkiye regarding the results of the consultations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution, also pushed by US President Donald Trump, have so far been unsuccessful. Since the start of the Ukraine war, Türkiye has offered itself as a mediator between Kiev and Moscow.
round of negotiations so far no progress
Delegations from Russia and Ukraine have been meeting in Istanbul since May for three rounds of talks agreeing on a prisoner exchange and the repatriation of dead soldiers. However, there was no progress towards a ceasefire at the meeting.
According to Ukraine, there are no signs that Moscow is ready to stop its invasion. Kiev accused Russia of continuing to make unacceptable demands, for example with the aim of ceding Ukrainian territory to Moscow. The Russian government holds Ukraine responsible for the diplomatic impasse.
Ukraine wants to buy 100 “Rafale” jets from France
Ukraine’s president visited France on Monday. There he and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a declaration of intent stipulating that Ukraine should purchase billions of dollars worth of military equipment from France, including Rafale fighter jets, air defense systems, guided bombs and drones. According to the Elysée Palace, the agreement includes the possible purchase of up to 100 Rafale jets.
