Erdogan meets Zelensky, Russian delegation arrives for ceasefire talks
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Turkish President Erdogan and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy held a nearly three-hour meeting in Ankara ahead of Istanbul talks as the Russian delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, arrives, with Witkoff and Rubio set to visit Turkey.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, shakes hands with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting at the Presidential palace in Ankara, Thursday, May 15, 2025 (AP)
Turkish and Ukrainian leaders met in Ankara ahead of upcoming talks, as key Russian and United States figures head to Turkiye to hold ceasefire negotiations between Moscow and Kiev, mediated by Washington.
A meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara lasted nearly three hours before concluding, according to a report on Thursday by the Turkish state news agency Anadolu.
Meanwhile, the Russian presidential aide and head of the Russian delegation to the talks in Istanbul, Vladimir Medinsky, is scheduled to address the media in Istanbul at 14:30 GMT, according to an announcement by the Russian Consulate General on Thursday.
After the Kremlin revealed the composition of the Russian delegation for the May 15 Ukraine talks in Istanbul on Wednesday evening, the group led by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky arrived in the city earlier on Thursday.
"At 17:30 [local time, 14:30 GMT], Vladimir Medinsky will make a statement to all interested media," the Russian General Consulate's press secretary said, emphasizing that the talks are not cancelled.
Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine aim to achieve long-term and lasting peace by addressing and eliminating the fundamental causes of the war.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff remains set to visit Turkey on May 16, according to a Thursday report by the Financial Times citing sources familiar with the matter.
Witkoff intends to travel to Turkey alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is attending an informal NATO foreign ministers meeting in Antalya. Witkoff confirmed on Wednesday that their visit to Istanbul is scheduled for May 16, according to reports from Reuters.
Russia, Ukraine, hold varying stances on ceasefire agreement
Russia has its independent position on any ceasefire proposal and will evaluate the 30-day truce based on its strategic interests. Peskov affirmed that Russia is accustomed to tensions with Europe and remains resilient in the face of political and economic pressure, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on May 10.
“We are open for dialogue, we are open for attempts to have a settlement in Ukraine. We do appreciate efforts on mediation,” he said, signaling that Moscow was willing to consider diplomatic avenues but would not be swayed by ultimatums.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced May 10 that Ukraine, along with a coalition of allied nations, is prepared to implement a 30-day, full and unconditional ceasefire starting Monday, pending Russia's agreement and the presence of credible international monitoring mechanisms.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full, unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting already on Monday. If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations," Sybiha posted on X.
The announcement followed a high-level summit in Kiev attended by key European leaders: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
