15.05.2025 23:41
The details of the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations to be held in Istanbul tomorrow have been revealed. It has been stated that trilateral meetings will take place in the format of the US-Ukraine-Turkey and Russia-Ukraine-Turkey, while it has not yet been confirmed whether discussions will occur in a quadrilateral format involving the US-Russia-Ukraine and Turkey.
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The world is focused on the peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to be held in Istanbul. While Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a delegation to Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left Turkey after meeting with President Erdoğan in Ankara.
MINISTER FIDAN MET WITH RUSSIAN DELEGATION CHAIRMAN AT DOLMABAHCE
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's meeting with the Russian delegation led by Vladimir Medinskiy, an advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office has concluded.
TRILATERAL MEETINGS WILL BE HELD IN PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
According to information obtained from sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fidan's meeting with the delegation led by Medinskiy has ended. Sources stated that a series of meetings in different formats will be held tomorrow, and that trilateral meetings between the US-Ukraine-Turkey and Russia-Ukraine-Turkey are on the agenda. It was shared that the issue of whether a quadrilateral meeting will be held between the US, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey has not yet been finalized.
Vladimir Medinskiy, who heads the Russian delegation, stated that they will be waiting for the Ukrainian side tomorrow at 10:00 AM.
ZELENSKY LEFT TURKEY
Zelensky later left Turkey. According to information from Ukrainian diplomatic sources, Zelensky, who left Turkey, will go to Tirana, the capital of Albania, where the Sixth Summit of the European Political Community will be held tomorrow.
UKRAINE AND RUSSIA WILL MEET TOMORROW
It has been announced that the meetings between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul will take place tomorrow. The US delegation will also be present at the meetings.
ZELENSKY: WE SENT OUR DELEGATION TO ISTANBUL FOR NEGOTIATIONS
Meanwhile, Zelensky made a statement after his meeting with Erdoğan. Stating that they will send a delegation to Istanbul, Zelensky said: "We sent our delegation to Istanbul for a ceasefire. We will be constructive in the negotiations. Our delegation will go to Istanbul tomorrow. There are no decision-makers in the Russian delegation. We will also meet with Turkish representatives. I told Putin 'we are coming' and I came. I am ready for direct negotiations.
"RUSSIA IS NOT IN FAVOR OF A CEASEFIRE"
Out of respect for President Trump and President Erdoğan, we decided to send a delegation to the peace negotiations in Istanbul. The Russian side continues its unserious attitude. They are not in favor of a ceasefire.
"THERE SHOULD BE UNCONDITIONAL CEASEFIRE"
These negotiations are not easy; it is difficult to discuss which format will be used with Russia. Russia has expressed through the media that Putin is ready for direct talks. I immediately responded to this. I said May 15, and I came immediately, but he did not come. There are no decision-makers in the Russian delegation. All parties must renew the negotiation conditions. There should be an unconditional and precondition-free ceasefire."
"WE EXPECT MORE COMPREHENSIVE SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA"
In response to the question, "What will Ukraine do if the negotiations in Istanbul fail?" Zelensky said, "We all understand that there must be a fair peace, Ukraine's security must be in accordance with the UN, and our territorial integrity must be supported. The importance of the level of the delegation does not matter at this stage if we all want to reach a result. Russia should have done something, but if these steps are not taken, they do not want to end the war. This means that pressure on Russia at political, economic, and other levels needs to increase. We expect more comprehensive sanctions. In recent weeks, a lot of work has been done even by the US, and a sanctions package has been discussed. Russia is currently showing that it does not want to end this war," he stated.
"WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THE MEETINGS IN ISTANBUL WILL GO"
On the other hand, the first statements from the Kremlin revealed that there is a crisis in the peace talks. In the statement, it was said, "The Russian delegation is currently waiting for the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul; the Ukrainians are not present. We do not know how the meetings in Istanbul will go, and there is no preparation for Putin's visit."
MINISTER FIDAN: THERE IS INTENSE DIPLOMATIC TRAFFIC IN ANKARA, ANTALYA, AND ISTANBUL
Additionally, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan responded to the question posed at the NATO summit in Antalya, "What is the latest situation regarding the peace talks in Istanbul?" by saying, "Both sides have stated that they are ready for a ceasefire in principle, but their demands are different. That is why we believe that negotiation is a necessary area. The Ukraine-Russia negotiations, which started with the mediation of the US Special Representative, have reached a certain stage. Our goal is to achieve peace, and both sides must make certain concessions to meet at a common point. There is intense diplomatic traffic in Ankara, Antalya, and Istanbul," he replied.
RUSSIA INSULTS ZELENSKY: CLOWN, LOSER
Statements that could disrupt the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine came from the Kremlin. Russia referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "clown" and "loser" ahead of the talks expected to be held in Turkey.
After Zelensky described the Russian delegation as "almost a deception," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded, "Who is saying the word deception? A clown? A loser? Someone with absolutely no education." Meanwhile, Lavrov called Zelensky, who criticized the Russian delegation participating in the peace talks, a "poor man."
"PUTIN WILL NOT ATTEND THE MEETINGS IN ISTANBUL"
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that there is no possibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin attending the negotiations in Istanbul. Peskov made a statement to CNN. When asked whether Putin would attend the expected negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, Peskov replied, "No."
MEDINSKIY WILL CHAIR THE RUSSIAN DELEGATION
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova also stated that the negotiations have been postponed to the second half of the day at the initiative of the Turkish side.
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The Russian delegation has arrived in Istanbul, and it has been announced that negotiations are expected to take place in the afternoon. Yesterday, Putin approved the names that will represent Russia in the negotiations with Ukraine to be held in Istanbul under Turkey's hosting. Accordingly, the Russian delegation will be headed by Putin's Advisor Vladimir Medinskiy.
HE HAD ALSO CHAIRED THE MEETINGS IN 2022
The delegation will include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin. The list of experts in the delegation includes Deputy Head of the Information Department of the General Staff of Russia Aleksandr Zorin and Deputy Head of the Humanitarian State Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Yevgeniya Podobreyevskaya, as well as Director of the Second Department of the Commonwealth of Independent States of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aleksandr Polişçyuk and Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defense Vladimir Şevtsov. Medinskiy had also chaired the Russian delegation in the meetings in 2022.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR AND NEGOTIATIONS
The war that erupted with Russia's attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has largely annexed Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions. With the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Ukraine lost control over approximately one-fifth of its territory. While the US and European countries provided extensive economic and military aid to Ukraine, they imposed heavy sanctions on Russia, which annexed a large area.
After the talks in Belarus, the Foreign Ministers of Russia and Ukraine met on March 10, 2022, at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Turkey also brought the parties together in Istanbul on March 29, 2022. The compromise achieved in the Istanbul negotiations was disrupted by allegations of civilian deaths in the city of Bucha, while claims emerged that the UK and the US opposed the agreement.
Despite the escalation of the war, Turkey continued its efforts for peace and, with the support of the United Nations (UN), brought the parties together again that year, leading to the signing of the Black Sea Grain Initiative Agreement, which resonated widely around the world. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, one of the rare leaders who can engage with both sides, continued to offer hosting and mediation for peace talks, and diplomacy gained momentum again with the election of Donald Trump as president in the US.
On May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin brought up the proposal to unconditionally restart direct negotiations, which had been cut off three years ago, in Istanbul on May 15, requesting President Erdoğan to host. The Ukrainian administration responded positively to this, and the international community welcomed the agenda of the Istanbul peace talks.