KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed on Wednesday that Russia is presenting Ukraine with an ultimatum in peace talks but is open to direct discussions with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy’s remarks came after peace negotiations in Istanbul, where Russian and Ukrainian delegations exchanged terms for a potential ceasefire and discussed future prisoner swaps.
Speaking to reporters, including those from international news agencies, Zelenskyy described the Russian demands as an ultimatum rather than a genuine negotiation. “This is not merely a memorandum of understanding. Such a memo should involve two parties agreeing, not just one party making demands,” he stated during a press conference with both international and local media representatives.
Zelenskyy clarified that the document presented by Russia does not qualify as a memorandum. “It is, in fact, an ultimatum directed at us from the Russian side,” he noted.
He emphasized the need for higher-level representatives in the ongoing peace talks, suggesting that discussions in Istanbul with the current Russian delegates were unproductive. “We are open to exchanges, but continuing talks at this level serves no real purpose,” Zelenskyy remarked, highlighting that earlier agreements for prisoner swaps had already been reached.
Zelenskyy expressed his willingness for a meeting with Putin and Trump, stating, “We are ready for such a meeting any day.” He proposed that a ceasefire be established prior to any such summit, which could also include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The White House indicated that Trump is willing to meet with his counterparts from Russia and Ukraine in Turkey, especially after the recent talks failed to make progress toward a ceasefire.
In addition, Zelenskyy mentioned that both Ukraine and Russia are prepared for a military personnel exchange this weekend, as agreed upon in the recent talks in Turkey. “The Russian side has informed us they can transfer 500 of our military personnel this Saturday and Sunday,” he confirmed. “We are ready to exchange the necessary number of prisoners in return.”
Since the onset of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands have lost their lives, with substantial destruction in eastern and southern Ukraine and millions of people displaced, marking the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
