Negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv discussed the possibility of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during their talks in Istanbul this week, Zelensky said in comments released on Friday, July 25th.
Ukraine has been pushing for a meeting between the two leaders and has expressed hope that Donald Trump, who has been pushing for the warring parties to strike a deal, could also take part.
Putin has said he is ready to meet Zelensky but only during a “final phase” of negotiations on ending the three-year war. “We need an end to the war, which probably begins with a meeting of leaders,” Zelensky told reporters.
