(VOVWORLD) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will only attend talks on Ukraine if Russia's Vladimir Putin is also there, the Ukrainian leader's top aide said on Tuesday.
 Ukranian President Voloydmyr Zelensky speaks during a press conference in the grounds of the Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 10, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS) |
US President Donald Trump has offered to join Thursday’s planned meeting in Istanbul, part of his effort to end the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Putin has yet to say if he will take part.
Both Russia and Ukraine have sought to show they are working towards peace after Trump prioritized ending the conflict, but they have yet to agree any clear path.
Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine after ignoring a Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Zelenskiy's trip to Turkey showed Kyiv was ready for talks but repeated Ukraine's stance that any negotiations must come after a ceasefire.