Zelensky Says Ready to Meet Putin in Turkey, Rules Out Donbas, Crimea Concessions

Key Points:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey, hoping Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could facilitate the talks to resolve ongoing conflicts.
• Zelensky emphasized that direct negotiations at the presidential level are necessary, as previous delegation-level talks have failed to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
• Key discussion points for a potential meeting include a ceasefire, monitoring mechanisms, security guarantees, Ukraine’s reconstruction, and the status of occupied territories, while firmly rejecting Russia’s demands over Donbas and Crimea.
• Zelensky highlighted that Ukraine’s fate cannot be decided without Kyiv’s involvement, criticizing any attempts by other countries to negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf as unfair and ineffective.
• Regarding the upcoming G20 summit, Zelensky noted Ukraine had not yet received an official invitation but would welcome one, especially if it could contribute to ending the war.