Zelenskyy and Erdogan met in Ankara; the Kremlin sabotaged the talks and is now preparing a new offensive.

On May 15, a three-hour meeting between President Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Ankara. It was planned that high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine would follow; however, as noted by leading European diplomats, Putin sabotaged the talks. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated that the Kremlin’s appointment of a low-level delegation demonstrated that Putin was trying to “buy time.” There is a belief that the talks will drag on for the entire summer. Considering this, Zelenskyy decided not to participate in the talks, though the meeting will still occur. Ukraine will be represented at the talks by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who will lead a delegation that includes military and intelligence representatives.

“A ceasefire is the number one issue. Although I believe that Russia still continues to take the meetings lightly,” Zelenskyy noted.

According to the president, if there is no ceasefire and no “serious decisions,” Ukraine will ask the US, the EU, and the countries of the Global South for appropriate sanctions against Russia, “which will become an incentive for a faster end to the war.” However, US President Donald Trump believes that no changes will occur in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia until he personally meets with Putin.