Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will go to Istanbul for talks with Russia and will have a mandate to discuss a ceasefire.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy made this announcement in Ankara after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
According to the Ukrainian president, Erdogan reaffirmed his commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and considers Crimea to be Ukrainian.
Zelensky said that the level of the Russian delegation demonstrated the Russian Federation’s unwillingness to engage in serious negotiations.
“Out of respect for President Trump and Erdogan, I have decided to send a delegation to Istanbul. It will be headed by Defense Minister Umerov,” the Ukrainian leader said.
The Ukrainian delegation will meet with the Russian delegation today or tomorrow, with the participation of the American and Turkish groups.
Also tomorrow, Zelensky and Erdogan plan to join the summit in Albania, which is a summit of the European political community, where about 40 leaders will be present.
If there is no ceasefire and no serious decisions are made, Ukraine will ask the US, the EU, and the countries of the global South to impose appropriate sanctions on Russia, which will be an incentive for a quicker end to the war.
Earlier, members of the Russian delegation said they were ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine and discuss possible compromises with Kyiv. This was announced by the head of the delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, on Russian television.