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| Ukranian President Voloydmyr Zelensky speaks during a press conference in the grounds of the Mariynsky Palace in Kyiv on May 10, 2025. Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP/Getty Images |
KYIV, Ukraine – May 14, 2025, By Tamsil Shahezad Khan — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared he will only negotiate directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, firmly rejecting talks with any other Russian representative ahead of a possible high-stakes summit in Turkey this Thursday.
“There’s no time for playing games,” Zelensky said during a press conference at Kyiv’s Mariinsky Palace on Saturday, underscoring that “everything in Russia depends” on Putin. His remarks come amid intensified international pressure on Moscow to agree to a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire or face sweeping new sanctions from Western allies.
The proposed summit in Istanbul — suggested last week by Putin himself — remains clouded in uncertainty, as the Kremlin has yet to confirm whether the Russian president will attend. Ukrainian officials and European diplomats remain skeptical. Two senior European sources told CNN they doubt Putin will show, with one calling the summit “more spectacle than substance.”
Still, Zelensky confirmed he will travel to Turkey on Thursday, signaling his willingness to engage if Putin is present. “The end to the war goes through direct talks,” he said, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump’s involvement could further compel Putin to attend.
Trump, who is currently touring the Gulf on his first major overseas trip since beginning his second term, said he is open to a detour to Turkey. “If I think it would be helpful, I’ll be there,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Qatar. “He [Putin] wants me there — and I don’t know that he would be if I’m not.”
The former U.S. president has long called for direct negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior envoys Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff are expected to represent the U.S. at the Istanbul talks regardless of Trump’s attendance.
Russia, for its part, has remained ambiguous about its delegation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Moscow will reveal its plans only “once Putin gives the order.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, told state media that Moscow’s representatives are preparing for the Turkey meeting, but gave no clarity on whether Putin would attend.
Pressure From the West Builds
As the clock ticks toward Thursday, European leaders are ramping up their warnings. French President Emmanuel Macron has said Russia must accept the ceasefire proposal or face new sanctions “in the coming days,” potentially targeting Russia’s financial services.
The European Union has already taken steps by announcing new sanctions against Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” — a covert network of oil tankers used to bypass Western embargoes. Additional penalties are likely if the talks in Turkey fail to deliver results.
Ukraine’s European allies issued Moscow an ultimatum on Saturday: accept the ceasefire unconditionally or face “massive” consequences. Putin’s counter-offer of talks, critics say, may be an effort to appear conciliatory while avoiding concrete concessions.
On the Ground: Stalemate and Skirmishes
Despite peace overtures, the war on the ground tells a different story. Fighting remains intense along the eastern front, with Russian forces launching near-daily drone and missile strikes. The front lines have largely held, but incremental Russian advances continue.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S.-based think tank, reported on Monday that Russia recently deployed a ceremonial FSB regiment to the front — a move it interpreted as psychological warfare aimed at projecting strength.
“There’s little indication Russia is preparing for a ceasefire,” the ISW said, warning that the Kremlin may use the talks as a diplomatic shield rather than a genuine path to peace.
A Defining Moment?
For Zelensky, the Istanbul summit represents more than just another round of diplomacy — it's a test of Putin’s willingness to end a war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
“I will meet Putin anywhere if it means ending the war,” Zelensky reiterated. But without the Russian leader at the table, he made clear, there’s nothing to discuss.
As the world watches, Thursday’s meeting could either mark the first step toward de-escalation or yet another missed opportunity in a conflict now grinding into its fourth year. The presence — or absence — of
Putin and Trump may well determine which.