Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said that while US President Donald Trump has taken a position to put pressure on both parties to end the conflict, Kyiv bears “more pressure.”
“Trump’s position is to put pressure on both sides. I believe that we were put under more pressure,” Zelensky told journalists in Ankara, Türkiye’s capital.
The Ukrainian delegation has already been sent, and the meeting “could be tonight, could be tomorrow; we have done everything on our part,” he said.
He emphasized that Ukraine has supported multiple diplomatic efforts initiated by the US and other partners.
“Ukraine took many different diplomatic steps, moved toward some kind of format, even a small format that could bring everyone closer to ending the war. But it cannot be one-sided,” the Ukrainian president said.
“That’s why we really want to see clear pressure on Russia, on Putin. Sanctions from Europe, the US, from other countries,” he added.
The Ukrainian president announced that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation during talks with the Russian side in Istanbul.
“Despite the rather low level of the Russian delegation, out of respect for President Trump, for the high-level Turkish delegation and President Erdogan, and wishing to attempt at least the first steps toward de-escalation and an end to the war, I decided to send our delegation to Istanbul — though not in full,” Zelensky was quoted by RBC-Ukraine as saying.
He criticized Moscow’s decision to send presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky as the head of the negotiation team, claiming it demonstrates Russia’s lack of commitment to reaching an agreement.
“There will be no counterpart from the Russian side (at the ministerial level),” he noted.
Zelensky’s announcement followed a high-level bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, which lasted nearly three hours behind closed doors.
His visit to Türkiye began earlier Thursday when he arrived at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport. He was welcomed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and other officials who were in the country to attend an informal NATO foreign ministers meeting in Antalya.
Zelensky’s delegation will remain in Istanbul until Friday.