Zelensky Urges Trump to Join Turkey Peace Talks to Pressure Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on former U.S. President Donald Trump to attend upcoming peace talks in Turkey between Ukraine and Russia, in hopes that Trump’s presence will encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to show up.
Zelensky announced plans to travel to Turkey and meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, saying he is prepared to wait for Putin there—or meet him in any city the Russian leader chooses.
“If President Putin is truly ready to meet, we will do everything possible to reach a ceasefire agreement,” Zelensky said. “I must negotiate that ceasefire with him. President Putin is the only one who can make that decision.”
The Ukrainian president also extended a formal invitation to Trump to join the May 15 summit in Turkey. “If President Trump confirms his participation, I believe it would give Putin added incentive to attend,” Zelensky said. Trump previously said he was considering taking part in the talks. Zelensky added that Ukraine would “greatly appreciate” Trump’s presence and voiced support for Trump’s call for direct negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
Zelensky also urged Western nations to impose tougher sanctions on Russia if Putin fails to show up. “We will do everything we can to ensure this meeting happens and leads to a ceasefire,” he said.
President Putin recently proposed restarting direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul—talks that were suspended in 2022. He stated that Russia is ready for serious discussions to address the root causes of the war and emphasized that the next move belongs to Ukraine.
Zelensky responded by expressing readiness for direct dialogue but insisted that any negotiations must begin with a 30-day ceasefire. He reiterated his willingness to meet Putin in Turkey to hold face-to-face talks.
The Kremlin has declined to say whether Putin will attend the summit, stating only that Russia is preparing for negotiations and refusing to disclose who might represent the Russian delegation.
Two European diplomatic sources said expectations for the Turkey summit remain low, and they are skeptical Putin will participate. A senior U.S. official also noted that Trump’s involvement depends largely on whether the Russian leader agrees to attend.
Trump later confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the U.S. delegation to Istanbul and said the event “could produce some positive outcomes.”
Russia and Ukraine last held direct peace talks in Istanbul in March 2022. At the time, the two sides reportedly came close to a draft agreement, but the talks collapsed before Zelensky formally ended negotiations the following month.
(Sources: AFP, CNN)
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