ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Delegations from Ukraine and Russia traveled to Turkey Thursday for peace talks, but while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was present, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin stayed away, prompting criticism from Western officials that the Kremlin isn’t serious about the efforts to end the war.
Zelenskyy said the Russian delegation appeared to be merely “decorative.” Speaking at the airport in the Turkish capital, Ankara, he said the next steps for talks would be decided after his upcoming meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Putin, will lead the Russian team that will also include three other senior officials, the Kremlin said. Putin also appointed four lower-level officials as “experts” for the talks in Istanbul.
Putin wants Ukrainian capitulation, not peace. He thought Trump would deliver it for him, but seems to have underestimated Trump’s near-infinite incompetence.
Its the fascists strong man dance. They all end up stepping on each other’s toes cause they have no rhythm. They will all scratch each other’s faces eventually. A man can’t have two masters and they all want to be master.
To be fair, everyone has underestimated his incompetence that hoped he would enact their insane dreams. Steve Bannon, Putin, Curtis Yarvin, Kevin Roberts, the Proud Boys and 3Pers, Kanye, etc.
NO WAYY. THE DICTATOR WHO LIED A BILLION TIMES LIED AGAIN??? never saw that comming
He said yesterday he wasn’t attending
Because Trump already got what he he wanted, and Zelenskiy doesn’t have anything else to trade with.
Trump and Putin are the lying assholes here.
Trump stayed away as well.
Zelenskiy is screwed, all because the rest of the world doesn’t care enough to stand up to either Putin or Trump.
They’re both afraid Zelenskyy will shank them during the handshake.
his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin stayed away, prompting criticism from Western officials that the Kremlin isn’t serious about the efforts to end the war.
Literally a cosmetic delegation from russia. There’s no agreement to reach with them.
poopin scawwed
Peace talks usually don’t include the real leaders. This really seems to be a non story.
Negotiations are done by lower level diplomats and the agreement is signed off by the leaders. That’s diplomacy 101. Name one major 20th century diplomatic deal that was negotiated by the leaders in person. I know we all hate Putin and Russia here, but let’s not be stupid in our criticism.
Camp David Accords? 13 days of negotiations with the US, Israeli, and Egyptian leaders of the time? I think the Dayton agreement was similar too. Leaders are involved in this stuff, not always but it’s certainly not unusual either.
Camp David Accords? 13 days of negotiations with the US, Israeli, and Egyptian leaders of the time? I think the Dayton agreement was similar too. Leaders are involved in this stuff, not always but it’s certainly not unusual either.
This is a reason able counter-argument. However, I still think it’s quite rare for leaders of two nations actively at war to come together and discuss a peace plan.
20th century? The Yalta Conference was a pretty big one in WWII. Churchill, FDR and Stalin all met to determine what was to be done about a certain Austrian and his fan club.
I don’t think this is a good counter argument since this was more allies getting together to discuss and negotiate plans. Zelensky and Putin would be more like the Emperor of Japan meeting with FDR to discuss a peace treaty for Japan. Or Hitler and Churchill getting together.
Leaders usually wait until an agreement is in place before putting their reputations on the line, as there’s always resistance from hardline “fight to the end” factions. It’s smarter to confront that opposition only when the benefits of a deal are assured.
