Zelensky will go to Turkey without Putin: Yermak called it a signal to the world
14 May 2025 10:54
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to Turkey, even if Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin refuses to make direct contact. This will send a clear signal to the world that Russia does not want peace and is not ready for serious negotiations. The head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, said this in a conversation with Le Monde, the main points of which were published on Telegram, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
He emphasized that Ukraine is ready for any dialogue, but with the condition of a complete and unconditional ceasefire. Now it’s up to Russia.
Kyiv is counting on the United States to maintain its role in the peace process.
“We are grateful to Steve Witkoff for constructive conversations and understanding that a ceasefire is a logical step. We are also grateful to President Trump for sending a clear message: if Putin does not want peace, Ukraine will get more than it can imagine. Sanctions If Putin does not come, this is the moment for action. The US package from Senator Lindsey Graham and new EU sanctions should hit the energy and finance sectors of the Russian Federation,” said Yermak.
He emphasized that the thirty-day ceasefire called for by the countries of the “coalition of the willing” is not for Ukraine to gain a military advantage, but to start the process: meetings of delegations, monitoring and transparency.
“We are also talking with Europe about the purchase of air defense systems – not only receiving them, but also buying them. This is part of our agreements and security guarantees. We are already seeing the first real results of the coalition of volunteers,” Yermak said.
He also added that Russia should not have the right to veto Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
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Positions of the parties on the upcoming talks in Istanbul
On the night of May 11, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced his readiness for direct talks with the Ukrainian side, which are to take place in Istanbul on May 15. However, in his statement, he did not mention a single word about a possible 30-day ceasefire, as the Ukrainian side and its partners want.
US President Donald Trump said that Ukraine must urgently agree to the talks in Turkey proposed by Putin for May 15. At the same time, the American president did not pay attention to the absence of a 30-day truce clause in the Kremlin’s proposal.
Nevertheless, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed and wrote that he would personally wait for Putin in Turkey to meet on May 15. At the same time, he expressed hope that the ceasefire would begin on May 12.
However, after Zelenskyy’s agreement, no official statements have yet followed from the Kremlin. So now, for the first time, the Kremlin has officially confirmed that it is preparing for negotiations.
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