Kyiv (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has excluded meetings with any Russian officials other than President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Istanbul this week, as stated by presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak on Tuesday’s Breakfast Show. He stressed that talks with lower-ranking officials would be “pointless.”
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to participate in Thursday’s proposed meeting in Istanbul, which has become central to his efforts to resolve the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two. Putin has not yet confirmed his attendance.
“No, of course. Well, this is not the format,”
Podolyak commented on speculation about Zelensky meeting with other Russian officials in Putin’s absence. He emphasised that even high-ranking Russian leaders, such as ministers, do not possess the power to make significant decisions concerning the end of the war.
Experts say both Russia and Ukraine have aimed to demonstrate their commitment to peace following Trump’s emphasis on ending the conflict, but they still lack a definitive agreement on the way forward.
Is Ukraine willing to accept Trump’s peace proposal?
Zelensky has invited Putin to peace talks in Turkey on May 15, marking their first meeting amid the current full-scale conflict. Although Moscow has shown readiness to participate in direct discussions with Kyiv this week, it has not yet confirmed a meeting between the two leaders.
On Sunday, Putin suggested direct negotiations with Ukraine, having dismissed a Ukrainian offer for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Trump subsequently urged Zelenskiy to accept this proposal publicly.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump unexpectedly proposed on Monday that he could travel to Istanbul, a city that bridges Europe and Asia.
“I was thinking about actually flying over there. There’s a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen, but we’ve got to get it done,”
Trump said before leaving for his second foreign trip since returning to the White House in January.
“Don’t underestimate Thursday in Turkey,”
He also said.
Can a ceasefire happen without territorial concessions?
Last year, Reuters reported that Putin showed a willingness to discuss a ceasefire with Trump. However, Moscow stipulated that it would not make any significant territorial concessions and demanded that Kyiv relinquish its aspirations to join NATO.
Ukraine has expressed readiness for talks but insists that a ceasefire must come first, a stance echoed by its European allies. Kyiv seeks strong security guarantees as part of any peace agreement and dismisses a Russian proposal that suggests limitations on its military size. It claims that territorial matters could be addressed only after a ceasefire is established.
