Zelenskyy Accepts Direct Peace Talks Only with Putin
(MENAFN) Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy is open to engaging in peace discussions in Istanbul this week—but only if the conversation includes a face-to-face meeting with Russian Leader Vladimir Putin.
This stipulation was shared by a top Ukrainian official on Monday, emphasizing the necessity of high-level engagement.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the chief of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, stated to a news agency that “the president cannot meet with anyone else.”
Podolyak stressed that Russia’s political hierarchy is clearly defined and only one person within that framework holds the actual authority to determine the outcome of the war.
He explained that even prominent figures such as “(Foreign Minister Sergey) Lavrov or (Prime Minister Mikhail) Mishustin are unlikely to be authorized to make such decisions.”
According to him, “only Putin can make the decision to continue or end the war,” reinforcing Zelenskyy’s position that lower-level dialogue is futile.
Podolyak dismissed any attempts to initiate discussions at subordinate levels as a diversion tactic.
“This is again stalling for time. What’s the point of holding a meeting at a lower level?” he questioned, suggesting it would merely postpone real advancement in resolving the conflict.
Diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war are at their most promising stage in over three years.
Anticipation is building for a potential high-stakes summit in Istanbul, expected to occur on Thursday, involving both heads of state.
The invitation for an unconditional meeting in Istanbul on May 15 originated from Putin during a media briefing in Moscow.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later confirmed that Turkey is prepared to facilitate the discussions, affirming this in a phone call with the Russian president.
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