Turkey Facilitates Russia-Ukraine Talks Amid Trump’s Putin Gambit

Scheduled for 12:30 PM, direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are set to commence in Istanbul, according to Reuters. Currently, trilateral discussions involving the U.S., Ukraine, and Turkey are ongoing in the city, with participation from U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio. Yesterday’s meeting was marred by confusion and diplomatic maneuvering as both delegations failed to agree on a meeting time, causing delays. Today, the Russian delegation is led by former Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky, along with deputy defense and foreign ministers, and the head of military intelligence (GRU). The Ukrainian delegation is headed by an official appointed by President Zelenskyy, joined by high-ranking officials from intelligence services, the general staff, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So far, these talks have been described by BBC analysis as ‘the negotiations that never happened.’ Yesterday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated his readiness to meet Vladimir Putin in Turkey. However, despite Putin’s earlier proposal for unconditional peace talks, specifying time and place, he did not show up. Ukrainians criticized the low-level composition of the Russian delegation, claiming they lacked decision-making authority. Now, the head of the Russian delegation waits for the Ukrainians to appear while Turkish mediators strive to bring both sides to the table. All this unfolds under the shadow of Donald Trump’s statements suggesting nothing will happen unless he meets Putin personally. This could render today’s events in Istanbul largely insignificant. For Ukraine, there’s a growing fear that President Zelenskyy might be sidelined if an agreement proceeds without him. The prevailing sentiment among Ukrainians is concern over Trump’s apparent favor towards Putin. Notably, while Zelenskyy rushed to Turkey, Putin stayed away, and no critical words were heard from the American president.