Zelensky sends team to peace talks, but slams Russia’s lack of seriousness

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reportedly sent a delegation to Istanbul for peace talks with Russia, marking the first direct negotiations between the two nations since March 2022.

However, reports say that expectations for a breakthrough remain low.

This is especially as U.S. officials suggest that meaningful progress is unlikely without a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy announced that the talks could start as early as Thursday evening or Friday.

Ukraine’s main goal is to secure an immediate 30-day ceasefire.

Speaking in Ankara alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Zelenskyy explained that despite Russia sending only a lower-level delegation, Ukraine would still attend to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to peace.

He emphasized that this move was also meant to signal to Trump that Kyiv remains open to ending the war.

The Ukrainian delegation is being led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are also expected in Istanbul on Friday, though their specific roles remain unclear.

The peace talks are being held at the Dolmabahçe Palace, the same location where failed negotiations occurred in 2022.

The day began chaotically, with the Ukrainian and Russian delegations arriving in different cities.

It raised immediate concerns about whether the meeting would happen at all.

The Kremlin later confirmed that Putin would not attend the talks, rejecting Zelenskyy’s proposal for a direct meeting.

Donald Trump has been vocal about the process, dismissing the value of any talks that don’t include him and Putin directly.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, he stated, “Nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.”

Echoing this view, Rubio remarked that a genuine breakthrough could only happen through a Trump-Putin summit.

He also hinted that such a meeting might depend on developments during the Istanbul talks.

These remarks have diminished hopes among Ukraine and its European allies that Trump might pressure Moscow with stronger sanctions if the current negotiations fall apart.

Instead, without the prospect of Trump enforcing consequences, Russia appears to have little incentive to make concessions.

Trump suggested on Thursday during a stop in Qatar that he might still travel to Turkey “if something happened.”

However, by the end of the day, there were no signs of such a visit being planned.

Zelenskyy and Putin both appear to be positioning themselves strategically ahead of any possible Trump involvement.

Zelenskyy is aiming to show Ukraine as cooperative and reasonable.

“We are sending a delegation led by the defense ministry so that no one can say Ukraine is blocking the talks,” he said.

Zelenskyy arrived in Ankara with senior advisors on Thursday, while Russia’s delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, landed in Istanbul.

Medinsky, a former culture minister with hardline views, previously led Russia’s delegation in the failed 2022 talks.

His appointment is seen by analysts as a sign that Putin is not genuinely seeking compromise.

Observers suggest that Putin remains intent on goals such as weakening Ukraine’s military and denying it Western support.

During a press conference at the Russian consulate in Istanbul, Medinsky described the current talks as a continuation of those earlier failed efforts.

He reiterated sweeping Russian demands, including restrictions on Ukraine’s military and opposition to its Western backing, terms Kyiv has long deemed unacceptable.

Medinsky also used typical Kremlin language, referring to addressing the “root causes” of the war, a phrase often used by Putin to justify the invasion.

Boris Bondarev, a former Russian diplomat who resigned in protest of the war, stated that Putin is not serious about peace.

Instead, Bondarev suggested Putin proposed the Istanbul talks to impress Trump while continuing military operations on the ground.

With Russian forces gradually advancing, Putin appears unwilling to stop the war unless major concessions are made by Ukraine and the West.

Even before the negotiations begin, Zelenskyy and European leaders are urging the U.S. to impose new sanctions if the talks fail to produce a ceasefire.

“If there is no ceasefire or real progress, we are asking for strong sanctions to speed up the end of the war,” Zelenskyy said, calling for coordinated pressure from the U.S., Europe, and the global south.

Zelenskyy argued that Ukraine has repeatedly shown a willingness to negotiate. “Trump’s position is to pressure both sides.

I believe we have been pressured more. But you need to pressure the side that is not serious about ending the war,” he said.

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