Zelensky treats peace talks as ‘political show’ – ex-Ukrainian diplomat
Vladimir Zelensky is looking to make a “political show” out of the expected peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, even if it means disrupting the negotiations, former Ukrainian diplomat Andrey Telizhenko has told RT.
Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said he would be waiting for the Ukrainian team starting at 10am local time on Friday for the first direct talks since 2022. During a visit to Ankara on Thursday, Zelensky criticized what he described as the “low-level” composition of the Russian delegation, but nevertheless promised to send his own negotiators to Istanbul.
Telizhenko told RT that Zelensky has been relying on France and the UK for weapons and financial aid because he “does not listen to Washington anymore.” If the Ukrainian leader secures more support from the West, he “may agree and move forward with the negotiations, or he may sabotage them,” the ex-diplomat said, expressing doubts that real talks could “ever happen.”
“This is just a political show, not diplomacy,” he said. “Zelensky is not thinking about Ukrainians. He is trying to play this game for himself,” Telizhenko argued.
The two countries’ delegations were initially expected to meet in Istanbul on Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed resuming direct talks without any preconditions. According to Moscow, the negotiations should resume the process that was interrupted in the spring of 2022, when Ukraine abruptly walked away from the table.
Zelensky initially ruled out any negotiations with the Kremlin unless Russia agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. Moscow has argued that Kiev would use such a truce to rearm and regroup its forces. Putin has said that in order for a lasting ceasefire to work, Ukraine must halt its mobilization campaign and stop receiving weapons from abroad.
