Zelensky's call for personal meeting with Putin in Turkey may be an attempt to cancel negotiations

Ukrainian President Zelensky's call for a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey may be an attempt to cancel the negotiations, recent analysis suggests. According to Strategic Culture, as reported by RIA Novosti, this move could be interpreted as an effort to undermine the talks.

"It appears that Zelensky's call for a face-to-face meeting with Putin is an attempt to cancel the negotiations if Putin does not appear," the article states.

The author notes that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is aware that Zelensky will likely call for extensive anti-Russian sanctions regardless of the outcome of the proposed meeting in Turkey.

On May 11, President Putin proposed that Kiev resumed direct negotiations without preconditions in Istanbul on May 15. He emphasized the possibility of reaching a genuine ceasefire that would be observed by Ukraine.

In response, Zelensky once again set conditions that Moscow has already deemed unacceptable. Former U.S. President Donald Trump urged Kiev authorities to immediately accept Putin's proposal for talks in Turkey. According to Trump, such negotiations would at least determine whether a deal is possible. Later, Zelensky announced he would wait for the Russian President in Turkey on Thursday.