Zelenskyy: Russia is doing all it can to ensure next meeting yields no results
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he suspects the next round of Istanbul talks proposed by Russia may produce no results due to Moscow's inaction.
Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter)
Quote: "Russia continues to ignore all calls from the world to cease fire and continues its killings. Moreover, for over a week now, the Russians have been unable to present the so-called ‘memorandum’ they had promised to prepare immediately after the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange. Ukraine has received no documents from them – nor has Türkiye. For a meeting to be meaningful, its agenda must be clear, and the negotiations must be properly prepared. Unfortunately, Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the next potential meeting brings no results."
Details: Zelenskyy also said that he met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday 30 May and passed on his thanks to Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for their support for the peace efforts, particularly their role in organising the Ukraine-Russia meeting that ultimately led to the release of 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners from Russian captivity.
They also discussed the diplomatic efforts being made by Ukraine and its partners.
Quote: "We value all our cooperation with Türkiye aimed at making diplomacy effective. We are grateful for Türkiye’s clear stance – consistent and full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Background:
- At a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Kyiv on 30 May, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv is ready for the next round of negotiations with Russia but is still waiting for Moscow’s promised ceasefire "memorandum".
- Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov has handed Russia a document outlining the Ukrainian position and is waiting for their "memorandum" in response.
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the ceasefire terms Russia intends to propose in its "memorandum", saying such discussions should not be held publicly.
- Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi stated that Russia’s unwillingness to formally submit its "memorandum" for talks indicates it likely contains unrealistic demands and is an attempt to delay the peace process.
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