Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated he would participate in upcoming talks on the war in Ukraine only if President Putin is also present, as diplomatic efforts led by the U.S. focus on securing a temporary ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday he would attend talks on the war in Ukraine this week only if Russian President Vladimir Putin is also present. The discussions are scheduled to take place in Istanbul on Thursday.
The Kremlin has not confirmed whether Putin will attend. The Istanbul meeting is part of renewed diplomatic efforts led by U.S. President Donald Trump, who is sending senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, according to three sources familiar with the plans. Trump has also offered to join the talks.
Zelenskyy said he aimed to negotiate an unconditional 30-day ceasefire as a starting point towards ending the war and added that Putin's involvement was necessary, given his influence over Russian decision-making.
“If he takes the step to say he is ready for a ceasefire, then it opens the way to discussing all the elements to end the war,” Zelenskyy said.
While both Kyiv and Moscow have indicated interest in peace efforts since the U.S. intensified its involvement, there remains no agreed roadmap. On Sunday, Putin proposed direct talks with Ukraine, following an earlier Ukrainian call for a 30-day ceasefire. President Trump has publicly supported that proposal.
The Ukrainian side reiterated on Tuesday that any negotiations should be preceded by a ceasefire. Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Ukraine remains committed to this position.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not confirm Russian representation at the Istanbul talks, stating only that an announcement would be made if the president decided to participate.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow remained open to negotiations but questioned Kyiv’s readiness to engage in talks. He noted that Russia expected discussions to reflect the current realities on the ground, including areas under Russian control that Moscow regards as part of its territory.
U.S. officials have reportedly proposed a 30-day ceasefire covering land, air, sea, and critical infrastructure. European countries have expressed support for the ceasefire and indicated that further sanctions could be imposed on Russia if progress is not made.
A media briefing in Baku has outlined preparations for the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), scheduled to take place in Baku from 17 t...
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday (14 March) that many countries are interested in purchasing Ru...
An explosion lightly damaged a Jewish school in Amsterdam early on Saturday (14 March) in what the city’s...
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a key port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight (13-14 March), local authorities ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, coveri...
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s second largest city in the early hours of Saturday (7 March) killed 10 people, including two children. Kharkiv mayor, Ihor Terekov, said 10 residents died after a Russian ballistic missile hit a five storey apartment block in the city.
Ukraine has accused Hungary of taking seven employees of a state-owned bank hostage in Budapest.
A Russian drone damaged a civilian Panama-flagged vessel that was transporting corn near the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Black Sea Odesa region, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said late on Wednesday.
Denmark will hold a parliamentary election on 24 March, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Thursday (26 February), as she seeks to capitalise on a surge in support for her defiant stance against U.S. pressure over Greenland.
Israel and Iran continued to exchange strikes on Friday (13 March), as the U.S. and French militaries reported deaths in Iraq, and the U.N. launched a $325 million appeal to help Lebanon, where a seventh of the population have left their homes since fighting began.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued veiled threats to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and Hezbollah on Thursday (12 March), during his first press conference since the conflict with Iran began.
The U.S. should shut down its military bases in the Middle East, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday (12 March). His words were read out by a broadcaster on state Iranian television.
At least 64 people have been killed in southern Ethiopia following recent landslides and floods, the regional government’s communications office said on Thursday (12 March), citing local police
Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday (14 March) that many countries are interested in purchasing Russian oil after the United States temporarily eased sanctions on certain exports.
An explosion lightly damaged a Jewish school in Amsterdam early on Saturday (14 March) in what the city’s mayor described as “a deliberate attack against the Jewish community.”
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a key port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight (13-14 March), local authorities said, causing injuries and damage. In separate action, Russian air attacks on Ukrainian territory killed and wounded civilians near Kyiv, officials reported.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment