Zelenskyy on Putin: We can't run all over the world looking for him

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin must demonstrate leadership by meeting him in person for talks. He said Putin’s behaviour shows a lack of respect not only for Ukraine, but also for US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference in Ankara

Quote: "I believe the Kremlin ruler must demonstrate leadership, and if he is ready for negotiations, then he should meet without any preconditions. Let's meet.

We're in Ankara now. After this, we're sending a delegation to Istanbul. He's not here, he's not in Istanbul. We can't run all over the world looking for the man...

I believe the US and Türkiye are now feeling disrespected by Russia. No scheduled time, no agenda, no high-level delegation – that's personal disrespect. I'm not talking about 'the Russians' disrespecting us – that's already obvious – but this is a mirror image...

It's disrespect towards Erdoğan, disrespect towards Trump. Trump is sending a large group of people, including Secretary of State Rubio. The parties to the war are Russia and Ukraine. Secretary of State Rubio is here, Türkiye's foreign minister is here, Ukraine's foreign minister is here – where is the appropriate representative from the Russian Federation? This is not just disrespect towards Ukraine, it's disrespect towards everyone, and first and foremost towards Türkiye, because the meeting is taking place here."

Details: Zelenskyy also added that Ukraine expects its partners to impose additional sanctions on Russia if it refuses to move towards ending the war.

Background: 

• On 15 May, Zelenskyy arrived in Türkiye for talks with Erdoğan and Kremlin representatives. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had come to the negotiations with a high-level delegation, but the news from Moscow about the Russian delegation suggested that Russia was preparing for talks on a "more decorative than substantive level".
• On 14 May, Putin approved the composition of the Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine in Türkiye on 15 May. Putin himself is not on the list.
• The Russian delegation is headed by Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky. 
• Zelenskyy said he was ready to meet with Russia's leader in Istanbul on Thursday 15 May.
• US President Donald Trump has said he is willing to go to Istanbul on Friday 16 May to join negotiations on the Russo-Ukrainian war.

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