The hopes that the conversations – when they are done – will come to an agreement on peace between Ukraine and at Russiaas the two delegations in Constantinople failed to agree even while they met with yesterday’s meeting being postponed.
On Thursday (15.5.2025) delegations of Ukraine and Russia were in Constantinople. Everything was ready at the Dolma Bachce Palace and dozens of journalists from all over the countries were waiting for the arrival of the two delegations.
Initially it leaked that the meeting would take place at 10am. Then Ukrainian official said that There is no agreement on the time of starting negotiations.
On Thursday afternoon, Maria Sakharova announced that The meeting is postponed for afternoon.
OR meeting never happened And Volodimir Zelenski announced that he would not go to Constantinople.
However, the leader of the Russian delegation to participate in the Constantinople negotiations announced late Thursday night that he was waiting for Ukrainian representatives to appear at 10am local time for the start of talks.
“We’re ready for work,” Kremlin’s adviser Dmitry Mentinsky said in a video posted on the Telegram. Mentinsky added that earlier the Russian delegation had “productive” discussions with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The timing of a heralded death
Vladimir Putin himself torpedoed his proposal for talks with Ukraine as he refused to find himself in Constantinople, while the officials he sent to Turkey are described as … inferior.
Ukraine – and Europe – are now holding a small basket for the meeting. Zelenski was in Ankara but on Thursday night he announced that he would not go to Constantinople as he refused to “chase Putin”.
«Nothing is going to happen until Putin and I meet», Trump said while flying with Air Force One during a four -day tour of the Middle East.
The news was also confirmed by Marco Rubio saying – according to the BBC – that there will be no progress if Trump does not meet with Putin.
According to Ukrainian media, Marco Rubio arrived in Turkey on Thursday, awaiting developments.
And today the next act of the project is expected …
Trilateral meetings
Trilateral meetings will be held today in Constantinople as part of the peace talks that were to begin between the Russians and the Ukrainians, a source from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said tonight.
“The meeting (between the Turkish Foreign Minister and the Russian delegation) is over. Tomorrow, another series of meetings will be held, in a different form. On the agenda there are three -year negotiations between the US, Ukraine and Turkey “and” between the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey. It is not certain that there will be a quadruple “with the participation of the US, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey, this source said.
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski will not participate in the discussions, given the absence of his Russian counterpart. He was sent to Defense Minister Rustem Umero and a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Both delegations also include representatives of the Army, Intelligence Services and Security Services.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also expected in Constantinople.
It is not clear at present whether Turkish officials will participate in these talks with a “mediator” role.