Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha expressed his intention to hold a high-level meeting with Russia. He announced this during his visit to Brussels, where a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union was taking place.
Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine remains committed to peaceful initiatives and does not put obstacles in the way of peace, which was confirmed during recent talks in Turkey. “We are interested in a direct meeting between President Zelensky and Putin. Our allies are aware of this position, and President Zelensky discussed it with President Trump. We understand that there is only one person in Russia who can put an end to the war,” the minister noted.
He also added that Ukraine is considering various options for holding such a meeting, including the Vatican, which was mentioned by Pope Leo XIV.
Additionally, Sybiha reported on the intensification of efforts to strengthen sanctions against Russia. “Sanctions must not only be adopted but also have a tangible impact. We are also working on secondary sanctions that must be effective. Today I sensed the European Union’s readiness to implement them,” he stressed.
On May 16, a meeting of delegations from Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul with the participation of Turkish representatives. The Ukrainian side was represented by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, first deputies of the heads of the Foreign Ministry, Security Service, Main Intelligence Directorate, and other officials. The Russian delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, who had already participated in talks in 2022, along with deputies of the heads of the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry of Russia, and the chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff.
After the negotiations, Rustem Umerov reported that the parties discussed prisoner exchanges and the possibility of a ceasefire. In particular, they talked about an exchange on a 1000-for-1000 basis, and Ukraine is currently working on the details of this process. The minister expressed hope that the exchange could take place soon.
Earlier in Istanbul, trilateral talks were held between delegations from Ukraine, the United States, and Turkey. President Zelensky, who met with Turkish President Recep Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, described the composition of the Russian delegation as “theatrical,” but out of respect for Trump and Erdogan, he sent the Ukrainian delegation to negotiations in Istanbul.
Zelensky also expressed willingness for a personal meeting with Putin in Istanbul on May 15, where the Kremlin leader had proposed direct talks. However, the Kremlin officially stated that Putin would not participate in these negotiations.
