Zelenskyy: Russian delegation is still without official level, we are waiting for a meeting with Erdogan

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian delegation had arrived in Ankara for the talks in full force, ready for real solutions to achieve a just peace. The composition of the Russian delegation, however, is still unknown and, according to the head of state, resembles «a prop level».

He said this on 15 May, in a conversation with journalists when he got off the plane in Turkey.

«We thank President Recep Erdogan for organising this meeting and the opportunity for direct talks. These are the signals of readiness for dialogue that Russia has been sending, and we have confirmed them. That is why we are here in Ankara today,» Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

According to him, the Ukrainian delegation is represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the President, the military, as well as representatives of all intelligence agencies.

«As for our level, our delegation is at the highest level. In order to make any decisions that can lead to the expected, just peace,» he stressed.

The Ukrainian side will begin talks with the Turkish president and a large Turkish delegation. Zelenskyy noted that Kyiv is also in contact with the American side, which will be represented at a high level.

«As for Russia, the level of their delegation has not yet been officially confirmed. From what we can see, it looks more like a sham. We will assess the situation after talking to Erdogan and determine the next steps,» the president added.

Peace talks 2.0

As a reminder, on 11 May, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his desire to resume direct negotiations with Ukraine, which were suspended at the end of 2022. He also said that he planned to address Turkish President Recep Erdogan with a proposal to organise the talks.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for direct talks, calling it a «good sign». However, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that a ceasefire was needed first to really start a dialogue with Russia.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan accepted Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to hold talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul on 15 May.

US President Donald Trump said that Ukraine should accept the Kremlin's offer to hold direct talks in Istanbul on 15 May: «Have that meeting, now».

Subsequently, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that he was looking forward to direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 15 May in Turkey.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that he had no information on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend the talks in Istanbul on 15 May. At the same time, he did not rule out the possibility of his own participation in this event.

It should be noted that the Kremlin is still not ready to name the composition of the Russian delegation, but confirms that its representatives will be waiting for the Ukrainian side in Istanbul.

Late in the evening of 14 May, the Kremlin approved the official list of Russian representatives to participate in the peace talks with Ukraine to be held in Turkey on 15 May. Russian President Vladimir Putin is not among the delegates.