Ukraine, Russia prepare for peace talks in Istanbul as Zelensky meets Erdogan in Ankara
Journalists wait for message on Russia-Ukraine talks outside the Dolmabahce presidential working office in Istanbul, Türkiye, May 15, 2025. On May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed resuming direct negotiations with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul. That same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated he would be prepared to meet with Putin in Istanbul.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations were expected to meet for peace talks on Thursday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepared for a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.
Upon arriving in Ankara, Zelensky told reporters that Ukraine's delegation included top-level representatives from the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, military, and intelligence agencies.
"We have a top-level delegation," he said, although he noted that the composition of the Russian delegation had not yet been officially communicated.
Zelensky also emphasized that decisions on the next steps in the negotiation process would be made after his discussions with Erdogan. "We need to understand what level of the Russian delegation (we're dealing with) and what mandate they have," he said.
The talks followed a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday to resume direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15. Zelensky confirmed his participation and expressed hope of meeting with Putin, but the Russian leader has yet to show up.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, speaking in Doha, Qatar on Thursday, said he might attend the talks in Istanbul on Friday. "If something (a development) happens and it's appropriate, I might go on Friday," he said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was in Antalya for a NATO foreign ministers' meeting, said Trump supports any initiative that could bring about a just peace.
"There is no military solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict," Rubio said. "We want to see progress made in the coming days."
