Zelensky Optimistic About Direct Talks with Putin Amid Turkish Summit

President Zelensky expresses determination to engage in direct dialogue with President Putin during an upcoming meeting in Turkey, highlighting urgency for peace negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced his impending travel to Ankara for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and has expressed his willingness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul on Thursday. "We will do everything to ensure that this meeting takes place," Zelensky stated during a spontaneous press briefing in Kyiv.

The Kremlin has yet to confirm who will represent Russia in Istanbul, promising an announcement "as soon as [Putin] deems it necessary." The last face-to-face encounter between the two leaders occurred in December 2019 in Paris, with the previous direct talks between their countries taking place in Istanbul in March 2022, just weeks into the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Putin had previously called for discussions in Turkey's largest city "without pre-conditions," leading Zelensky to make his visit public, anticipating that Putin would also attend. The United States is reportedly preparing to send a senior delegation, amidst rising anticipation.

By confirming his journey to Turkey, Zelensky aims to escalate pressure on the Kremlin, which has warned that exerting pressure on Russia would yield no results. Instead, Moscow has shifted its focus toward a long-term settlement addressing what it identifies as the "root causes" of the conflict—conditions that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected since before the 2022 invasion.

Although Zelensky is prepared to meet with Putin, he emphasized the priority of establishing a 30-day ceasefire supported by all of Ukraine’s allies, including the U.S. He questioned the genuineness of Putin’s recent offer for direct talks, suggesting it could be a tactic to catch Ukraine off guard.

U.S. President Donald Trump, currently on a Gulf tour, hinted at the possibility of attending the meeting if it seems productive; however, this remains speculative. Meanwhile, reports suggest that two senior U.S. officials, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, are scheduled to be in Istanbul for the talks.

On the Russian side, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that preparations for the negotiations are ongoing, stating, "That's all that can be said right now." Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov indicated a willingness to engage in "responsible" discussions while underlining Moscow's longstanding demands related to Ukraine's territorial integrity, which many in Kyiv view as capitulatory.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas remarked that while discussions between Zelensky and Putin would be beneficial, she doubts Putin's willingness to engage. Zelensky countered by asserting that Putin’s reluctance to meet in Istanbul would signal his disinterest in ending the conflict.

Leaders from Ukraine's main allies—including the UK, Germany, Poland, and France—visited Kyiv over the weekend to warn of forthcoming sanctions should Russia reject the proposed ceasefire. The EU is reportedly working on a 17th package of sanctions aimed at reinforcing this message.