
The Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, said on Thursday in Istanbul that Ukraine will send a delegation to initiate peace conversations with the Russian delegation. The Ukrainian team will be led by Zelenski’s defense minister. The Ukrainian President has indicated that he does not believe that Russia is taking the negotiations seriously and has accused Moscow of sending a second level delegation. “It looks like a farce,” he said.
“Estamso waiting for certain signals to realize the hours. We will be constructive,” said Zelenski. “If today the fire is achieved at the level of a technical group, a direct meeting would not be necessary [entre Putin y Zelenski]. If Russia wants to discuss it in a direct encounter of leaders, I am ready, “said the Ukrainian President.” Russia has to demonstrate something. If we do not see that demonstration, it means that they are not ready to end this war and that they have no political will. If there are no bilateral meetings, we ask for sanctions. ”
Vladimir Medinski, head of the Russian delegation, has pointed out on Russian state television that its negotiators are willing to resume the negotiation process with Ukraine. “There is a work environment,” he said.
The negotiating team announced by the Kremlin does not include any political minister or leader. The delegation sent by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is headed by his advisor for cultural affairs, Vladimir Medinski.
According to Moscow, the Russian delegation is made up, among others, a Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, a Deputy Minister of Defense and a high position of the General Staff of the Russian Army.
Zelenski declared that the Ukrainian delegation will make a decision on the meeting with the Russians planned for today in Istanbul after meeting with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan will receive Zelenski at 1:00 p.m. (10.00 GMT) at the Ankara presidential palace and then have a private meeting and later a work lunch with their respective delegations.
There is no planned press conference or joint statements to the media, but the Ukraine Embassy in Türkiye has advanced the possibility that Zelenski addresses journalists after the meeting.
The plane that took Zelenski to Ankara landed at 12.14, (09.14 GMT) and was received at the airport by its Foreign Minister Andrí Sibiga, who arrived this morning in Ankara from the Turkish city of Antalya, where an informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers is celebrated.
Zelenski has gone to Türkiye in response to Putin’s proposal for direct negotiations between the two countries, without conditions or high the previous fire.
The Ukrainian president responded to that offer by raising a face to face with Putin, in which the Russian president has not finally agreed to participate.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has reported that the beginning of these negotiations has been postponed today at the initiative of Türkiye.
Source: www.eldiario.es