In the air are the contacts between diplomats in Turkey who, after Thursday’s thriller, finally make an appointment on Friday (16/5) without anything yet to be given. Once the contacts begin, they will be the first between the two sides by 2022, which will be a step forward, but expectations to reach an agreement that would first lead to a ceasefire, have been significantly reduced- if not completely eradicated- as Russian President Vladimir Vladimir Vladimir, They finally come together in Turkey.
‘Low Expectations’
Late Thursday night, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan welcomed the Russian delegation to participate in talks with the Ukrainians in Constantinople. “The meeting has begun,” the ministry announced. Fidan meets “with the Russian delegation, headed by Russian President Vladimir Mentinsky’s adviser” in Dolmabahce, where talks with the Ukrainian delegation were to begin. The former Russian Minister of Culture also participated in the failed consultations between Moscow and Kiev in March 2022 in Istanbul.
All sides are expected to meet again on Friday, the ministry added. “Tomorrow, the US delegation led by Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, Ukrainian, led by the Minister of Defense and Russian will be in Constantinople,” along with Hakan Fidan, assured the same source.
Earlier, Rubio said he “does not have high expectations” for these conversations. “I will be honest, I do not think we have high expectations of what will happen tomorrow,” he told reporters after NATO’s meeting in Antalya, southern Turkey.
Zelenski – Erdogan meeting in Ankara
Our President Erdoğan met with Ukrainian President Zelenskiy
– TC Presidency (@TCBESTEPE)
Volodimir Zelenski arrived in Ankara on Thursday and accused Vladimir Putin of having decided to undermine the negotiations by sending a delegation of officials, as he said. “I have not been formally informed of the composition of the Russian delegation, but from what we learn, their envoys have a ‘decorative’ role. We all know who makes the decisions in Russia, “the Ukrainian president said.
In response, the spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry launched a strong attack on Zelenski with offensive designations. “Who uses the word ‘decorative’? A clown, a failed, a person with unknown training. He uses the designation for people who not only have basic education, but academic diplomas and services in their homeland, “said Maria Zaharova.
“Nothing will happen until I meet with Putin”
Donald Trump intensifies uncertainty, arguing that in order to have a definitive solution, he needs to meet Putin himself. “Nothing will happen until I meet Putin, okay? Obviously, he was not planning to go. It was to go, because he thought I was going too. It wouldn’t go unless I came. I think nothing will happen, whether you like it or not, until I meet him, “the US president stressed.
