TURKEY — Istanbul — it’s the place Asia meets Europe, however as we now know, not the place Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The world's media descended on the Turkish metropolis on Could 15, primed for one thing doubtlessly historic — the primary direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow in three years, amid a global push to achieve a full, 30-day ceasefire.
As a substitute, reporters and correspondents had been left hanging round within the springtime solar, with little to report aside from a slanging match between the 2 nation's international ministries.
"This can be a negotiating farce," Hanna Hopko, co-founder of the Worldwide Heart for Ukrainian Victory, instructed the Kyiv Unbiased. "It's already clear that Putin is simply mocking (U.S President Donald) Trump."
The talks in Istanbul had been Russia's concept, proposed by Putin on Could 11 in yet one more try and distract from the truth that after precisely two months, the Kremlin continues to be refusing to conform to the total, 30-day ceasefire that Trump initially referred to as for.
The Ukrainian place was clear from the start — Zelensky instantly stated he was going to Istanbul and anticipated to see Putin there, a transfer which appeared to catch the Kremlin off-guard and stun it right into a days-long silence because it contemplated its subsequent transfer.
Upping the stress additional, Trump on Could 12 stated he believed that "each leaders" shall be there, thrusting Putin into a fragile diplomatic dilemma — learn how to keep away from caving into Zelensky's proposal with out upsetting Trump.
The 'sham delegation'
After days of consideration, Putin determined the best choice was to only not present up and never give an evidence, the information coming late within the night of Could 14 within the type of a listing of names of those that can be representing Russia in Istanbul.
In addition to omitting Putin's title, the listing additionally lacked these of any Russian ministers or high-ranking officers, setting the tone for the next day and giving a transparent indication of how critically the Kremlin was taking the very talks it proposed itself.
"Putin was not prepared for any honest peace talks," Mykola Kniazhytskyi, a Ukrainian lawmaker from the European Solidarity occasion, instructed the Kyiv Unbiased. "Russia's technique is to proceed the battle so long as doable."
Zelensky decried the Russian representatives as a "sham delegation," highlighting that the Ukrainian delegation was of the "highest stage," together with Overseas Minister Andrii Sybiha.
The Kremlin was not happy.
"Who makes use of the phrase 'sham'? A clown, a loser, an individual with no training in any respect," Russian Overseas Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova seethed throughout a press briefing.
Ukraine hit again, with Overseas Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi saying it was "not the primary time the Russian Overseas Ministry turned a laughing inventory."
"It is usually price noting that the delegation in Turkey just isn’t led by the Russian Overseas Ministry — their function is to bark from Moscow," he added.
As a substitute of Putin coming to fulfill with President @ZelenskyyUa in Türkiye and have a critical dialog about ending the battle and restoring peace, what we hear from Russia are private insults of the Ukrainian President.
Not the primary time the Russian international ministry turns into a…— Heorhii Tykhyi (@SpoxUkraineMFA) Could 15, 2025
The Trump response
Regardless of the rhetoric and the evident absence of Putin in Istanbul, Trump appeared to let the Russian president off the hook for not attending.
"I didn’t suppose it was doable for Putin to go if I’m not there," he stated throughout a go to to the United Arab Emirates on Could 15, later telling reporters: "Nothing's going to occur till Putin and I get collectively."
"Trump is already appearing as Putin's lawyer. It's humiliating, it's a disgrace."
For the journalists in Istanbul, a lot of whom had been in Antalya for the NATO international ministers assembly after which diverted for the talks, it was simply concerning the largest information of the day.
In Kyiv, it sparked large frustration.
“America is dropping its credibility," Hopko, stated, including: "Trump is already appearing as Putin's lawyer. It's humiliating, it's a disgrace."
"The worst a part of all that is that when Russia is weak, when its financial system is cracking, as an alternative of pushing tougher, (the West is holding again)," she added.
"Putin will conform to talks and are available to the negotiation desk solely when he’s cornered — when he understands that the West has a united entrance with critical plans."
Kniazhytskyi stated Putin was merely attempting — and succeeding — to maintain Trump onside, hoping "the alternatives to earn a living along with Putin shall be extra vital to him" in the long term.
Others had been much more blunt. "It's a large number," Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian lawmaker and chair of the parliament's international affairs committee, instructed the Kyiv Unbiased.
Exterior of Kyiv, seasoned Ukraine-watchers questioned simply how viable Putin's technique is in the long run.
"What’s fascinating right here," Ambassador Kurt Volker, a former U.S. particular consultant for Ukraine, instructed the Kyiv Unbiased, "is that the highlight retains getting brighter on Putin."
"The U.S., Europe, Ukraine all name for ceasefire, Putin then says negotiate. The U.S. and Ukraine say OK, let’s negotiate, after which Putin is a no-show. I don’t understand how for much longer this may go on."
The 'lure
Hopko, Kniazhytsky, and Merezhko all warned of what the latter described as a "lure" being laid by the Kremlin each on Could 15, and within the days main as much as it — the setting of a benchmark for negotiations based mostly on these it set on the final talks held within the early months of the full-scale battle in 2022, which amounted to Ukraine's full capitulation.
"Putin wished to show this right into a continuation of (the 2022 talks) and that's why he despatched (his aide Vladimir) Medinsky, who was at (the 2022 talks), to place ahead all the identical calls for," Kniazhytsky stated.
Leaked copies of Russia's calls for right now present that in 2022 Moscow was demanding Ukraine scale back its military to 50,000 folks, 5 occasions lower than the nation had earlier than the all-out battle, in addition to scale back the variety of ships, helicopters, and tanks.
Russia additionally deliberate to ban Ukraine from growing "every other forms of weapons on account of scientific analysis, and to not produce, purchase or deploy in Ukraine missile weapons "of any kind with a spread of greater than 250 km."
In addition to leaving Ukraine defenseless, Russia now insists that, as a situation for peace negotiations, Ukrainian troops should go away the nation's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts – all 4 of which Russia partially occupies – acknowledge Russia's annexation of Crimea, and abandon any ambition to hitch NATO.
The second day of talks
On the night of Could 15, journalists in Istanbul came upon they'd seemingly have to attend not less than one other day for something concrete to come back from the talks which, on the time of writing, had but to even start.
After a diplomatic stand–off of kinds, Zelensky has now despatched a Ukrainian delegation led by Protection Minister Rustem Umerov to Istanbul from Ankara to display Ukraine’s dedication to peace. Zelensky stated the delegation’s high precedence can be reaching a ceasefire settlement.
Russia's low-level delegation awaits them. What these talks will result in is anybody’s guess — skeptics will say they’re in all probability only for present. Nonetheless, they’re historic, at any stage.
Russia has stated their delegation is in a constructive temper, although what that truly means stays unclear.
However based mostly on what we now have seen thus far, Zelensky is taking a step towards peace, whereas Putin refuses to step out of Moscow.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova