Zelensky insists he will only join Ukraine-Russia talks in Turkey this week if Putin is present
Trump says he may try to mediate Ukraine-Russia talks in Turkey |
US President Donald Trump has hinted that he may try to mediate talks between Ukraine and Russia which may take place in Turkey.
Trump said on Monday prior to his trip to the Middle East that he might travel to Turkey if he thought it would be helpful.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed holding direct talks with Ukraine in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded that he would be waiting for Putin in Turkey on Thursday.
But Putin apparently did not mean he would attend the talks in person. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not comment on the matter in a briefing on Monday.
Mykhailo Podolyak, who is an aide to Zelenskyy, was asked in a program on a social network on Tuesday whether Zelenskyy would hold talks with Russian officials, if Putin did not come to Istanbul.
Podolyak responded that Zelenskyy would not do so, and only Putin can decide whether to continue or end the invasion.
