Zelenskyy believes there are chances of Putin's visit to Turkey
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that there is a chance that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will come to Turkey for talks. He expressed this opinion in an interview with the German magazine Spiegel.
Zelensky recalls phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
According to the head of state, he told his Turkish counterpart that he is satisfied with any place for the meeting, but "Ankara is better".
"First, I don't really believe that Putin himself is capable of meeting. It seems to me that he is afraid. Although, if he feels a strong blow to his economy, will his people, the Russians, feel it too? Therefore, in my opinion, there are still chances for his visit," the head of state emphasized.
To a clarifying question about the percentage of Putin's visit, Zelensky said he did not know.
"But I know that as soon as it is announced that I am meeting with Erdogan in Ankara, the Russians will say: look how the Ukrainians are already postponing the meeting. And then the manipulations begin. So I said: tell Turkey that I am also ready to meet in Istanbul," the president continued .
He added that he is ready to go to Istanbul if Putin comes there. Zelenskyy expressed confidence that the Turkish leader would fly there with him.
- May 11 Putin offers Ukraine to resume direct talks on May 15 in Istanbul without preconditions. Trump calls "a potentially great day for Ukraine and Russia".
- May 13 Zelenskyy says Ukraine's partners should impose new sanctions against Russia, if Putin does not come to talks on May 15.
- WP writes, that Russia may be represented at the talks in Turkey by Foreign Minister Lavrov and Putin's foreign policy aide Ushakov.
- May 14 Zelenskyy announces what he will talk to Putin about, if he does come to Turkey for talks.
