The situation is win-win: the OP spoke about scheduling a meeting with Putin in Istanbul

They note that Russia has fallen into its own trap.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed to meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on May 15 in Istanbul , Turkey, to demonstrate his desire for peace, said Serhiy Leshchenko, an advisor to the head of the Presidential Office, during a telethon.

“For us, the situation is now win-win – Ukraine is leaving and showing its readiness for the diplomatic track. If Putin does not come, then he shows his weakness, and if he does come, then he is in the situation of a person who is forced to come up with fake arguments to continue the war, when the whole world is watching,” he believes.

According to him, now the word is Russia’s. “They are gradually falling into the trap of their own traps. They thought they would set a trap for us when they said they were waiting for us in Turkey on Thursday,” – notes Leshchenko. At the same time, he reminded that Zelensky replied that he was going to Istanbul. “The word is Putin’s. Now it’s interesting how they in the Kremlin will get out of the situation. Maybe Putin will “get sick,” – noted the advisor to the head of the OP. At the same time, he does not rule out that some third option will be chosen – for example, Putin played hockey and injured his knee and now moves on crutches.

Leshchenko stressed that no envoys from Putin to negotiate with Zelensky are of interest to anyone. “His representatives are of interest to no one, because this is a format of leaders. Here, the president of Ukraine, like a successful hunter, is driving Putin like game to certain boundaries, because he is constantly trying to maneuver,” he added.

At the same time, he emphasized that the weekend meeting of European leaders in Kyiv was important because it outlined unity, and a roadmap with the United States was also agreed upon. “That’s why Putin was forced to make some senseless statement to the press on the second night of work from Saturday to Sunday, where he stated that he was ready for negotiations in Turkey. And then Zelensky seized the initiative and said that he would come and wait for Putin. The Russians are now thinking about how to “get away” from this topic. Russia is not ready for direct negotiations,” Leshchenko believes. At the same time, he added that in a conversation with Zelensky, Putin is “doomed to a total fiasco,” so he will not go for it.

“We have shown our readiness even for such unpopular one-on-one negotiations with Putin to demonstrate Russia’s weakness, which has no arguments. And most importantly, we are showing our partners that the problem is not in Kyiv, but in Moscow,” Leshchenko said. According to him, if the negotiations fail, there should be new sanctions against Russia.

(C)UNIAN 2025