**Ukraine, US, and Turkey Meet in Istanbul as Peace Talks with Russia Loom**
In a significant development, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has announced that the country’s top officials have met with their American and Turkish counterparts in Istanbul. This meeting comes ahead of expected peace talks with Russia, which have been ongoing since 2022.
The trilateral meeting, held on May 16, brought together Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (who is not actually the US Secretary of State, but rather a member of Congress), and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. A video released by the ministry shows the delegation smiling and chatting together.
**Direct Negotiations Set to Resume**
Later in the day, the Ukrainian delegation will meet with Russian officials for the first direct negotiations since 2022. Turkish representatives will also be present at these talks. It’s worth noting that separate meetings between Russian and US officials are expected, although Rubio has stated that he will not be meeting with Moscow’s delegates himself.
**Background: Russia Proposes Peace Talks in Turkey**
The proposal to hold peace talks in Turkey was made by Russia earlier this week. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to the proposal and invited Russian President Vladimir Putin for a face-to-face meeting. However, Putin declined the invitation and appointed his aide, Vladimir Medinsky, to lead the talks instead.
**Ukrainian Delegation Travels to Istanbul**
The Ukrainian delegation that arrived in Turkey on May 15 consisted of top officials from Ukraine’s government, military, and intelligence agencies. After a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelensky announced that a smaller delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov would travel to Istanbul to discuss a potential ceasefire deal.
**Kyiv and Allies Push for Unconditional Ceasefire**
The Ukrainian government has been pushing for an unconditional ceasefire starting May 12 as the first step towards peace talks. However, Russia has ignored this proposal and instead presented its own conditions for the meeting in Turkey.
**Russia’s Conditions: Addressing “Root Causes” of War**
Moscow sees Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, language laws, and minority rights as the root causes of the war and wants these issues to be addressed during the talks. This is a significant point of contention between Kyiv and its allies on one hand, and Russia on the other.
**Conclusion**
As we follow this developing story, it’s essential to remember that peace talks are always complex and nuanced. While there may be some progress made in Istanbul today, much work remains to be done before a lasting solution can be reached.
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