Ukraine to send its delegation to Istanbul talks with Russia, Zelenskyy not going

Ukraine’s president confirmed connected Thursday that he has agreed to nonstop nan delegation to Istanbul for lower-level talks pinch Russia’s representatives, but he will not beryllium coming location himself.

After nan gathering pinch Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he agreed to Ukraine’s information successful nan talks pinch Moscow’s squad retired of respect to nan leaders of nan US and Turkey, arsenic good arsenic nan clear objection of Ukraine’s willingness to put an extremity to Russia’s warfare against Ukraine.

"Out of respect for President Trump, nan precocious level of nan Turkish delegation, and President Erdogan, and since we want to effort to execute astatine slightest nan first steps toward de-escalation, an extremity to nan warfare – namely a ceasefire – I person decided to nonstop our delegation to Istanbul," Zelensky said.

Kyiv’s delegation will beryllium led by Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Zelenskyy said, contempt nan truth that Umerov's Russian counterpart will not beryllium present.

Upon his presence successful Ankara, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is represented successful Turkey astatine nan highest level, pinch nan overseas ministry, nan statesmanlike office, nan military, and nan intelligence "to make immoderate decisions that mightiness lead to nan expected and conscionable peace."

But that is not nan lawsuit for nan Russian delegation, he said, describing it arsenic "theatrical".

"We must understand what is nan level of nan Russian delegation, and what instruction do they have, whether they are tin of taking immoderate decisions connected their own."

"Because we each cognize who takes decisions successful Russia," Zelenskyy said, pointing astatine Russian President Vladimir Putin, who refused to look Zelenskyy successful personification successful Istanbul.

The Kremlin has ruled retired Putin's travel to Turkey, revealing that nan negotiations will alternatively beryllium led by statesmanlike adjutant Vladimir Medinsky. Medinsky besides headed Moscow’s delegation successful Istanbul successful March 2022, astatine nan first effort astatine talks betwixt nan sides.

Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said earlier this week that Zelenskyy would not meet pinch lower-level Russian officials successful Istanbul if Putin doesn’t travel to Turkey, saying location would beryllium nary constituent successful specified negotiations.