Conversations in Istanbul, scheduled for Thursday, represent the first attempt for direct dialogue for peace between Russia and Ukraine since 2022. However, the lack of high -level representation by Moscow and Trump’s absence have generated doubts about the possibility of significant progress.
Although Zelenski has reiterated his willingness to negotiate in any format that leads to a peaceful solution of the conflict, the Kremlin considers very important a summit between Putin and Trump for arrangement in Ukraine
“These contacts would be extremely important in the context of the Ukrainian arrangement. It is difficult to overestimate its meaning,” said Dmitri Peskov, presidential spokesman, during his daily telephone press conference.
Trump understands that Putin was not on Istanbul without him being
For his part, Trump says he will see Putin “as soon as we can organize it” and said he understands that the Russian president was not on Istanbul without him being present To advance peace conversations between kyiv and Moscow.
“I would go from here, although I want to see my wonderful grandson,” Trump said in a bilateral event with companies in the United Arab Emirates (EAU) in reference to his daughter Tiffany has just had a child and wants to return to meet him.
“If I was not going, I was guaranteed that Putin was not going to go and it wasn’t. I can understand it, but we are going to get it, “Trump said, who from the beginning was in favor of facilitating the meeting between the Ukrainian leader, Volodimir Zelenski, and Putin in Istanbul this Friday.
Putin’s absence in negotiations evidences that the greatest stumbling block for a peace agreement in Ukraine seems to be Moscow and not kyiv as the US president suggested in the first months of this second term that began in January.
Rutte sees a “error” that Putin sends a minor delegation to negotiate with kyiv
The NATO general secretary, Mark Rutte, said Friday that the president of Russia makes a “big mistake” by sending a minor delegation to Turkey to negotiate with kyiv and has been sure that the Russian is aware that “the ball is in its field”; while praising the leadership assumed by the president of the United States, Donald Trump.
“He knows perfectly well that the ball is in its field, which is in trouble, which has made a big mistake by sending a low -level delegation,” said the Dutch politician in statements to the press in Tirana, upon his arrival at a summit of leaders of the European political community (CPE).
The Chief of the Alliance has insisted that Putin must “be serious in wanting peace” and, therefore, he said that “now all the pressure is on Putin” and is aware of what international expectations are given the opportunity for conversations between Moscow and kyiv to end the war.
The first meeting between Russia and Ukraine begins
Russia and Ukraine have begun this Friday in Istanbul, with mediation of Türkiye, their first direct meeting since 2022 to try to seek a negotiated solution to the war caused by the Russian invasion.
“We have to move towards peace. Every day we lose means losing lives. There is an opportunity for a high fire at the same time as the negotiations,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, at the beginning of the meeting.
There are two paths: one towards peace, the other towards destruction
Fidan has assured that “there are two paths: one towards La Paz, the other towards destruction” during his speech to inaugurate the meeting at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul before the Ukrainian delegations, led by the Minister of Defense, Rustem Umérov, and the Russian, directed by the Kremlin advisor, Vladimir Media.
