UPD: Trump announced he is ready to come to Istanbul if there is progress in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine 'If it is appropriate,' said the US president during a visit to Qatar. As reported by Sky News, answering journalists' questions about why Putin did not come to Turkey, Trump said: 'Why should he come if I'm not going.'
The Ukrainian delegation included heads of intelligence services and top military officials: Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, head of the SBU Vasyl Maliuk, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Hnatov, and Deputy Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine Oleh Luhovskyi arrived in Ankara, from where they are likely to head to Istanbul in the afternoon for direct talks with Russia. These officials can be seen in footage from the 'We Are Ukraine' channel from the scene, report 'Important Stories'*. The Russian delegation also included at least two intelligence officers — head of the GRU Igor Kostyukov and GRU General, Kharkiv native Alexander Zorin, who negotiated on 'Azovstal' in Mariupol.
After the announcement of the Kremlin delegation, which included Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Army Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, an official US representative reported that Trump, who is on a three-day tour of the Middle East, will not participate in the event. Earlier, Trump said he was considering the possibility of participating.
As writes The Wall Street Journal, Vladimir Putin ignored Zelensky's call to meet for high-level direct negotiations in Turkey, sending instead a team of mid-level officials, which cast doubt on the very possibility of negotiations between the parties.
At the same time, the Russian negotiating team was led by Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin — the same people the Kremlin sent to negotiate Ukraine's surrender at the beginning of the war.
Volodymyr Zelensky headed to Ankara, where he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In his night video address on Wednesday, Zelensky stated that Ukraine will decide on its steps in peace negotiations in Turkey as soon as there is clarity regarding Putin's participation. 'The answers to all questions about this war — why it started, why it continues — all these answers are in Moscow,' said Zelensky.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated on Thursday morning that he met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to share a vision of peace and 'coordinate positions during this critical week.' However, any results from peace negotiations with such a composition of the Russian delegation are unlikely.
* Recognized in Russia as a 'foreign agent' and 'undesirable' organization.