Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided Do not attend the peace negotiations in Istanbul with its Ukrainian counterpartVolodimir Zelenski, despite the disposition of former US president Donald Trump to join the meeting. Instead, Kremlin has designated a delegation headed by figures of lower rank, what has generated skepticism about the seriousness of Russian commitment in conversations. Meetings that have postponed in the afternoon at the request of Türkiye.
The Russian delegation will be led by Vladimir Medianskiformer Minister of Culture and Presidential Advisor, who already participated in the Failed negotiations of 2022. The Deputy Minister of Defense will accompany him, ALEXANDER MIFand the direct of Russian military intelligence (Gru), Igor Kostyukov. Neither the Foreign Minister, Serguéi Lavrov, nor other senior officials will be part of the team, which has been interpreted as a sign of the Limited will of the Kremlin to advance a substantial agreement.
On the part of Ukraine, the delegation will be composed of the head of the president’s office, Andriy Yermak; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andriy Sybiha; and the Minister of Defense, Rustem umerov. Zelenski had expressed his willingness to meet Putin personally, but conditioned his participation to the presence of the Russian leader at the negotiating table.
Trump goes out because Putin does not go
Putin’s absence too has influenced Trump’s decisionwho had expressed interest in assist If the Russian president participated. Before the refusal of Putin, Trump He has canceled his assistance, although he has reiterated his support for negotiations and has expressed his desire for a solution dialogued to the conflict.
Do these conversations make sense without Putin?
From kyiv, the main presidential advisor, Mikhail Podoliak, has declared that Conversations are meaningless without the direct participation of Putin, whom he considers the Unique with authority to make key decisions In the conflict. Podoliak has accused Russia of using these negotiations as a tactic for gain time and avoid new international sanctions.
Conversations in Istanbul, scheduled for this Thursday, represent the First attempt for direct dialogue 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 advances. Despite this, Zelenski has reiterated his willingness to negotiate in any format that leads to a peaceful solution of the conflict.
