Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Friday that he is urging strong Western action against Moscow if peace negotiations in Istanbul do not succeed.
“If only Putin wasn’t hesitant to come to Turkey, there might have been a genuine chance for him to take significant steps toward ending this war,” Zelensky remarked to European leaders in Tirana.
“Should it become evident that the Russian delegation is merely performing and fails to produce the necessary results, there must be a firm response, including sanctions targeting the Russian energy sector and financial institutions,” he emphasized.
Delegates from both nations are set to meet today for their first peace talks in over three years. However, hopes for a substantial outcome have lessened following U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement indicating no progress would occur without a meeting between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky accused Putin of rejecting a request for a meeting aimed at addressing crucial issues. He expressed, “I was prepared to meet with Putin directly to discuss all significant matters, whether in Ankara or Istanbul.”
He identified Ukraine’s top priority as achieving “a perfect, unconditional, honest ceasefire” and stressed it needs to happen soon to halt the violence and pave the way for diplomatic efforts.
“If today’s Russian representatives in Istanbul refuse to agree to this obviously necessary first step, it will become abundantly clear that Putin intends to further undermine diplomatic attempts,” he added.
