Larisa Kozova20:25, 14.05.25

The President of Ukraine explained that it is impossible to agree on everything with the dictator of the Russian Federation at once, but it is necessary to find a format for ending the war.

The absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Turkey to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will mean the Russian’s rejection of a political victory, the Ukrainian leader said in an interview with Spiegel .

Zelensky was asked whether he would meet with the Russian delegation if it included, for example, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Putin’s advisor Yuri Ushakov, but Putin himself would not come to Istanbul and there would be no “signal” from Moscow about a ceasefire.

“I want to clarify once again what the purpose of the meeting with Putin is. We cannot agree with him on everything at once. This is impossible – we have different attitudes to life, different worldviews. But somehow we will have to find a format for ending the war,” the President of Ukraine noted.

He added that, of course, there are certain things that the leaders of the two countries need to agree on, and only then can technical details be discussed in another format.

Zelensky stressed that the meeting with Putin should end with a political victory: a ceasefire or an exchange of prisoners “all for all.”

“And if he doesn’t come, it means he doesn’t want a political victory – for any of the societies, by the way,” the Ukrainian leader noted.

Zelensky also said that during a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he said that he was happy with any place for the meeting, but “Ankara is better.”

“First of all, I don’t really believe that Putin himself is capable of meeting. It seems to me that he is afraid. Although, if he feels a strong blow to his economy, will his people, the Russians, feel it too? Therefore, in my opinion, there are still chances for his arrival,” the President of Ukraine suggested.

He added that he did not know the likelihood of Putin’s arrival, and clarified why Istanbul was chosen as the location for the possible meeting.  

“I don’t know (what is the probability of Putin’s arrival – UNIAN). But I know: as soon as it becomes known that I am meeting with Erdogan in Ankara, the Russians will say: look how the Ukrainians are already postponing the meeting! And here the manipulation begins. That’s why I said: tell Turkey that I am also ready to meet in Istanbul. If Putin comes, we will go to Istanbul, no questions asked. I am sure that Erdogan would fly there with me,” the President of Ukraine explained.

Negotiations in Istanbul – what is known

As UNIAN reported, peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are to be held in Istanbul on May 15. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his participation, but emphasized that they will only make sense if Vladimir Putin is present.

At the same time, it is not yet known whether the Russian will come to the talks in Istanbul . In particular, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, believes that if Putin does not come to the talks, then they will not be at the level of presidents. 

In turn, Russian media reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov  will not represent Russia at the talks in Turkey on May 15, as previously reported by The Washington Post. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also emphasized that the Russian dictator has working meetings scheduled for May 15, but he did not specify where they will take place. 

(c)UNIAN 2025