Zelenskyy has stated his readiness to meet with Putin in Turkey
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he is prepared to meet with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Turkey.
He made the comments in an interview with CNN Türk, according to Censor.NET.
Willingness to meet in Turkey
The head of state expressed his hope that Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would facilitate talks with Putin in Turkey.
"Yes, we are ready. We are ready for this meeting in Turkey. Turkey’s position on this matter is clear. President Erdogan’s position is clear. We have close and good relations with Turkey. Turkey can be a practical and realistic mediator. During the talks, it does not take the side of either party and can act as a fully-fledged mediator. And, of course, Turkey supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. "I know that President Erdogan has his own line of communication with Putin. That is precisely why we support a meeting in Turkey," said Zelenskyy, responding to a question about whether he was prepared to meet Putin in Turkey.
The need for a leaders’ summit
Zelenskyy stated that a summit between the leaders is a necessary condition for ending the war. He noted that whilst negotiations between technical teams have yielded results, the war is still ongoing.
"A number of meetings have already taken place in Turkey. Meetings between technical teams and delegations have also been held in the United Arab Emirates. Various results have been achieved, yet the war continues. We have also been in contact with the Americans: a leaders’ meeting is of the utmost importance. After all, our societies are striving for an end to this war and believe in it. If the leaders meet, but following that meeting people see no progress whatsoever, even more questions will arise, and this will be seen as a failure of diplomacy. This is because it may be difficult for technical teams to achieve a final outcome during the negotiations. But I believe that when we, as leaders, demonstrate our political will, there is no problem we cannot solve. That is precisely why I am seeking this meeting as a decision-maker," said the head of state.
