Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday for high-level discussions and to deliver what he described as a “very clear message” to the Russian dictator. The Ukrainian leader made the statement while addressing reporters, stating, “I am here. I think it is a very clear message,” in response to a question about whether he had a message for Vladimir Putin.
President Zelenskyy’s presence in Turkey coincides with planned discussions involving Ukrainian, Russian, and United States delegations in Istanbul. The talks are scheduled to take place on Thursday evening and continue into Friday. However, expectations for meaningful outcomes have dimmed following confirmation that Russia would not send high-ranking officials to the negotiations.
The Kremlin announced that its delegation would be led by Vladimir Medinsky, an assistant to the Russian dictator. Other members include Deputy Foreign Minister Mykhailo Galuzin and Deputy Defence Minister Oleksandr Fomin. Ukrainian officials, including President Zelenskyy, have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the delegation’s composition. Zelenskyy dismissed the delegation’s significance, describing it as “similar to a dummy.”
Zelenskyy reiterated that he would not speak to any representative of the Russian Federation other than Putin himself, adding that the current delegation shows Moscow is not serious about genuine peace talks. He had earlier indicated he would personally wait for Putin in Turkey on 15 May, but Putin declined to attend.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also scheduled to meet with Zelenskyy during the visit. Ukrainian officials have said they will decide on further negotiation steps only after these discussions. Meanwhile, Bloomberg and other international outlets have pointed out that Russia’s decision to send a low-level delegation undermines the possibility of progress in the peace talks.
