Latest news with #HakanFidan
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Zelenskyy: Russia is doing all it can to ensure next meeting yields no results
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he suspects the next round of Istanbul talks proposed by Russia may produce no results due to Moscow's inaction. Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter) Quote: "Russia continues to ignore all calls from the world to cease fire and continues its killings. Moreover, for over a week now, the Russians have been unable to present the so-called 'memorandum' they had promised to prepare immediately after the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange. Ukraine has received no documents from them – nor has Türkiye. For a meeting to be meaningful, its agenda must be clear, and the negotiations must be properly prepared. Unfortunately, Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the next potential meeting brings no results." Details: Zelenskyy also said that he met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday 30 May and passed on his thanks to Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for their support for the peace efforts, particularly their role in organising the Ukraine-Russia meeting that ultimately led to the release of 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners from Russian captivity. They also discussed the diplomatic efforts being made by Ukraine and its partners. Quote: "We value all our cooperation with Türkiye aimed at making diplomacy effective. We are grateful for Türkiye's clear stance – consistent and full support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The meeting between Zelenskyy and Fidan Photo: Zelenskyy on social media Background: At a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Kyiv on 30 May, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv is ready for the next round of negotiations with Russia but is still waiting for Moscow's promised ceasefire "memorandum". Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov has handed Russia a document outlining the Ukrainian position and is waiting for their "memorandum" in response. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the ceasefire terms Russia intends to propose in its "memorandum", saying such discussions should not be held publicly. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi stated that Russia's unwillingness to formally submit its "memorandum" for talks indicates it likely contains unrealistic demands and is an attempt to delay the peace process. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
Russia signals readiness for new Ukraine talks as Kyiv accuses Moscow of stalling peace process
Russia has proposed holding the next round of direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2 with a view to achieving a sustainable peace settlement. read more Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced that Moscow is prepared to take part in a second round of negotiations with Ukraine scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul. However, Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of deliberately stalling the peace process ahead of the upcoming discussions. Speaking at a joint press briefing in Kyiv with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reaffirmed Ukraine's willingness to continue talks in Turkey. He added, however, that Kyiv is still awaiting a Russian memorandum outlining a potential ceasefire framework—an item Ukraine expects to receive before the meeting. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We are still waiting for the Russian side to deliver the memorandum they promised. It was also pledged to the American side,' Sybiha stated. Earlier this month, representatives from both nations met in Istanbul for the first time since March 2022, shortly after Russia launched its military invasion of Ukraine. The May 16 talks, held under pressure from US President Donald Trump to end the largest European conflict since World War II, failed to produce a ceasefire agreement despite Kyiv's appeals and backing from Western nations. Moscow insisted that certain prerequisites must be fulfilled before a ceasefire could be discussed. Lavrov emphasised in a statement that those who genuinely support the peace process should endorse the continuation of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. Following a phone call with President Trump on May 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Moscow's readiness to engage with Ukraine on drafting a memorandum aimed at laying the groundwork for a potential peace deal. On Wednesday, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia's negotiation team, posted on Telegram that he had contacted Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov to suggest a time and location for the next session. 'We are ready, right there and then, to begin serious and detailed discussions on all elements of the proposed ceasefire agreement,' Medinsky stated, noting that Russia is now awaiting a formal response from Ukraine. In a separate comment, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said both countries had agreed to develop and exchange their respective proposals concerning the 'modalities of settlement and ceasefire' at the upcoming round of negotiations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Ukraine keeps Russia guessing over participation in June 2 peace talks
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meets Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich KYIV/MOSCOW (Reuters) -Ukraine on Friday resisted pressure from Moscow and Washington to commit itself to attending peace talks with Russia on June 2, saying it first needed to see the proposals Russian negotiators plan to bring to the talks. After U.S. President Donald Trump urged Moscow and Kyiv to work together on a peace deal to end their three-year-old war, Russia proposed sitting down with Ukrainian officials next week in Istanbul. Kyiv responded by saying it was committed in principle to the search for peace, but that it was waiting for a memorandum from the Russian side setting out their proposals, which it had still not received. "We are ready for dialogue, but we demand clarity - clear and, most importantly, balanced proposals," the Ukrainian president's chief of staff Andriy Yermak said in remarks aired on national television. The war, the biggest on the European continent since World War Two, began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Expectations for the talks are modest because the positions staked out so far by the two sides are far apart and work between them has yet to begin in earnest on narrowing the gap. Nevertheless, both Kyiv and Moscow are keen to demonstrate to Trump that they are on board with his efforts to end the conflict. Kyiv is seeking more U.S. military aid, while Moscow hopes he will ease economic sanctions on Russia. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian delegation would be travelling to Istanbul and would be ready for talks with Ukraine on Monday morning. "At the moment, everyone is focused on the direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations. A list of conditions for a temporary truce is being developed," Peskov told reporters. Reuters reported earlier this week that Putin's conditions for ending the war in Ukraine include a demand that Western leaders pledge in writing to stop enlarging NATO eastwards. Trump's envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said earlier on Friday that Russia's concern over the eastward enlargement of NATO was fair and the United States did not want to see Ukraine in the U.S.-led military alliance. Commenting on Kellogg's statement, Peskov said: "We are pleased that these explanations by the president are understood, including in Washington." TURKISH HOSTS Turkey's government hosted a previous round of Ukrainian-Russian talks in Istanbul on May 16 -- which ended with no breakthrough -- and has again offered its services as a mediator. Speaking on a visit to Kyiv, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told reporters: "As long as (the sides) remain at the negotiating table, progress can surely be seen." If the talks go ahead in Istanbul, the next step would be to try to host a meeting between Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, he added. But Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who appeared alongside Fidan at a news conference, sounded a note of caution. "In order for the next planned meeting to be substantive and meaningful, it is important to receive a document in advance so that the delegation that will attend has the authority to discuss the relevant positions," Sybiha said. Sybiha did not spell out what Kyiv would do if it did not receive the Russian document, or set out a deadline for receiving it. "We want to end this war this year, and we are interested in establishing a truce, whether it is for 30 days, or for 50 days, or for 100 days," he said. Zelenskiy was later shown meeting and shaking hands with Fidan in Kyiv in footage released by the Turkish foreign ministry. Russia has said its delegation at the Istanbul talks will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a Kremlin aide who led the Russian team at the previous round of talks. (Additional reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu, Anna Pruchnicka and Tom Balmforth; Editing by Ros Russell)
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Turkish foreign minister says war in Ukraine approach "turning point"
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, at a press conference in Kyiv on Friday after meeting with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, has said that Russia's war against Ukraine is approaching a turning point. Source: Ukrinform, as reported by European Pravda Quote: "We are approaching a turning point in the war. As noted at the beginning of the talks held in Istanbul on 16 May, we have two paths: either we close our eyes to the continuation of this war, or we achieve lasting peace within this year." Details: Fidan reported that the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, which took place in May, added a new dimension to diplomatic efforts. Türkiye also considers the prisoner exchange following the Istanbul meeting a sign that negotiations can lead to concrete results. The minister also noted that Russia announced its readiness to continue negotiations on 2 June, and now the exchange of views on the next meeting is taking place in Kyiv. "We believe that the next round is possible on the basis of a fundamental decision taken by the parties in Istanbul. We are ready for the next meetings... We want the war between Ukraine and Russia to end fairly and finally as soon as possible," Fidan said. Background: Earlier, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that Fidan spoke in Kyiv about the results of his visit to Moscow. On 26-27 May, Türkiye's foreign minister visited Moscow, where he met with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and the chief Russian diplomat at the Istanbul talks, Vladimir Medinsky. Fidan also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. On Thursday 29 May, Erdoğan urged Russia and Ukraine not to close the door on dialogue ahead of a likely meeting between representatives of both countries on Monday in Istanbul. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Turkey hopes for renewed Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Turkey hopes that Ukraine and Russia can resolve the conflict in a potential second round of direct talks on a ceasefire, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday in Kiev. The two warring sides last met in Istanbul in mid-May, their first direct public contact in three years. "We are convinced that progress can certainly be made as long as we remain at the negotiating table," Fidan told a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha. A high-level meeting with the participation of the United States could follow the second round, Fidan said, adding that Turkey wants to see the war end as soon as possible. The call comes after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday announced Moscow's desire for new talks in Istanbul. The Russian delegation is ready to present a memorandum to the Ukrainian team in Turkey, Lavrov said. The document sets out the Russian position on "all aspects of a reliable overcoming of the root causes of the crisis," he said. Ukraine's Sybiha said his side needs to see the Russian proposal before they can prepare for the negotiations and work toward a tangible outcome. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Wednesday that Kiev has already submitted its position to Moscow. Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for more than three years. A major prisoner exchange followed the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul on May 16.
