Putin skipping talks would signal Moscow not seeking peace: Kyiv
The Hindu
Ukraine warns of Putin's absence at talks in Turkey as a sign of Russian disinterest in peace, urging Western military aid.
Ukraine said on Tuesday (May 13, 2025) that if Vladimir Putin skips talks in Turkey, it would be a "clear sign" to the world that the Russian leader is not serious about peace, and the West should reply with boosted military support to Kyiv.
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The meeting set for Thursday in Istanbul would be the first direct negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian officials since the early months of Moscow's invasion in 2022.
Mr. Zelenskyy has called on Mr. Putin to personally attend the talks that the Kremlin leader himself suggested, but Moscow on Tuesday declined for the second day running to respond to that invitation.
Also Read | Russia’s Putin proposes direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, ’without preconditions’
"If Vladimir Putin refuses to come to Turkey, it will be the final signal that Russia does not want to end this war, that Russia is not willing and not ready for any negotiations," Mr. Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said in a statement published by the Ukrainian presidency.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (May 12) urged both leaders to attend and said he was "thinking" about going to the talks as well.
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