Rosemary Church discusses with Ukrainian parliament member Kira Rudik the potential outcomes of upcoming talks in Turkey. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a high bar for his meeting with Vladimir Putin, stating that he will only engage in discussions with the Russian president himself. Zelensky emphasized that anything short of a ceasefire agreement would be considered a failure. Although Putin has not yet confirmed his attendance, Zelensky has expressed readiness to meet in Turkey after being prompted by US President Donald Trump. The Kremlin has not disclosed Putin’s decision, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that it will be announced when deemed necessary. Zelensky also extended an invitation to Trump to participate in the meeting, believing that his presence would encourage Putin to attend. The possibility of Trump’s attendance remains uncertain. Zelensky emphasized the importance of direct talks between himself and Putin, a dialogue that has not occurred since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. European allies of Ukraine had recently issued an ultimatum to Russia for a ceasefire, threatening severe sanctions if not met. Zelensky expressed appreciation for Trump’s support and hoped for his presence at the meeting in Turkey.
There may be no new discussions until a ceasefire is in place, according to Germany’s new chancellor Friedrich Merz, who mentioned that President Trump supported the initiative. Trump had previously called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, but did not specify a deadline. He warned that if the ceasefire was not upheld, the US and its partners would impose additional sanctions.
President Zelensky stated on Tuesday that he anticipates the US and Europe will impose strong sanctions on Russia if Moscow does not agree to the ceasefire by Thursday.
The approach has seen a significant shift, with Ukraine and its allies trying to convince the Trump administration that Putin is acting in bad faith. They believe that Russia agreeing to a ceasefire could serve as a test of its commitment to achieving peace, a demand long made by the US president.
In a surprising change of stance, Trump no longer insisted on Russia agreeing to a ceasefire before urging Zelensky to meet with Putin.
The Kremlin indicated on Monday that Putin was committed to seeking peace through dialogue, but declined to provide further details. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed Putin’s proposed talks with Ukraine with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, but it remains unclear if Putin will participate.
Zelensky expressed disappointment on Monday that Russia had not responded clearly to Putin’s proposal for talks. He reiterated Ukraine’s support for diplomacy and stated his readiness to travel to Turkey for the meeting.
Both President Erdogan of Turkey and President Putin have expressed support for peace talks, with Erdogan offering Istanbul as a potential venue. The Trump administration has grown frustrated with the lack of progress in brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggesting that the US may need to consider alternative actions if there is no advancement on the issue.
CNN journalists contributed to this report. To stay updated with more CNN news and newsletters, sign up for an account at CNN.com.
