President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the decision to send a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul to negotiate with Russian representatives. He reported this during a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Taiip Erdogan on May 15 in Ankar.
The delegation is headed by the Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov. According to Zelensky, he made this decision on respect for Turkish President Erdogan and former US President Donald Trump, who, according to unofficial data, is indirectly involved in peace initiatives.
"Despite the low level of the Russian delegation and the lack of key persons there, we decided to send our delegation. It is a gesture of respect for international partners and the desire for de -escalation," the President said.
Zelensky also explained why he did not go to negotiations: due to the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul. He emphasized that "in such a warehouse - without Putin, the head of the SBU and the chief of the General Staff - there is no point to be in Istanbul himself."
The President also noted that Rustem Umerov is an ideal candidate for such a diplomatic mission because he speaks Ukrainian, Turkish, English and Russian, and the meeting will take place in the format of the Turkish-American-Ukrainian-Russian presence.
The Ukrainian delegation will remain in Istanbul for another day, May 16. Additional contacts are planned with both the Russian side and with US representatives.
