Ukraine and Russia will meet again in Turkey on Wednesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes this will be a stepping stone to a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. But the Kremlin emphasizes that the parties have opposing interests.
It is the first time in seven weeks that representatives of Ukraine and Russia have sat down together.
Zelensky announced the meeting in Turkey on Monday evening in his daily video update. More details will follow during Tuesday, he said. Last week, the president already hinted at a new round of talks.
The Russian news agencies TASS and RIA also report on the meeting, which may last two days, based on sources. The Kremlin says it is still “waiting for confirmation of the date.” However, a spokesperson emphasized that the countries have very different ideas about ending the war.
“The agenda from our side is clear,” Zelensky said. “The return of prisoners of war, the return of children abducted by Russia, and the preparation for a leaders’ meeting.”
Unclear whether Putin will accept the invitation
It is questionable whether Putin is willing to accept the invitation. He did not show up at a summit in May. In the meantime, there is more pressure on the Russian president.
US President Donald Trump threatened last week with “very heavy levies” if Moscow does not conclude an agreement with Ukraine within fifty days. Countries that trade with Moscow, such as China and India, would then also be punished.
Talks between representatives of Ukraine and Russia in May and earlier this month led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war. But the parties took no steps towards ending the conflict, which has now lasted 3.5 years.
In recent weeks, the fighting has flared up and Russia has broken record after record with drone attacks.