Reporters noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appeared visibly fatigued and distressed during a press conference in Turkey on February 18, where he responded to the high-level U.S.-Russia meeting in Saudi Arabia. Zelenskiy had arrived in Turkey for discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"We want everything to be fair and ensure that no decisions regarding the resolution of the Ukraine war are made behind our backs," Zelenskiy stated. "You cannot decide how to end the war in Ukraine without Ukraine's involvement."
Zelenskiy emphasized that Ukraine was not invited to the talks in Riyadh by the U.S. Trump administration, noting that Ukraine first learned about the meeting through news reports. This situation has placed Zelenskiy in the challenging position of ensuring that U.S. President Donald Trump does not agree to any detrimental arrangements with Russian President Vladimir Putin that could undermine Ukraine's interests.
With the U.S. increasingly perceived as an unreliable ally, Zelenskiy is focusing on strengthening Ukraine's more dependable alliances. His visit to Erdogan was likely part of this strategy, although the Turkish leader is known for his unpredictability. Erdogan has sought to balance relations with both Kyiv and Moscow throughout the conflict, while also aiming to improve Ankara's ties with Washington.
Erdogan has avoided endorsing sanctions against Russia as a means to curb the Kremlin's war ambitions. However, following his discussions with Zelenskiy, he reaffirmed Turkey's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, calling them "indisputable."
Ankara has consistently positioned itself as an ideal venue for potential peace talks between its Black Sea neighbors, despite Turkey's NATO membership. During the joint press conference in Istanbul, Erdogan stated, "Our country is an ideal host for the negotiations that are likely to begin between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States."
He added, "During the talks with Mr. Zelenskiy, I stated that Turkey supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. At the same time, I stressed that we would provide any support necessary to complete the negotiations and establish sustainable peace. This war must end."
Recent reports from *bne IntelliNews* have highlighted discussions in European political circles about Turkey's significant land forces, the largest in NATO after the U.S. There appears to be a message from Ankara suggesting that Europe, whose armed forces are dwarfed by Russia's, should consider closer defense and security cooperation with Turkey. In return, Turkey hopes to advance its long-stalled application to join the European Union.
DDDD
Zelenskiy reiterated to the media that Ukraine must be included in any peace negotiations. "Ukraine, Europe in a broad sense—including the European Union, Turkey, and the UK—should be involved in discussions and the development of necessary security guarantees with America," he said.
He also expressed frustration over being excluded from the U.S.-Russia meeting in Saudi Arabia, stating, "We were not invited to that Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia. It was a surprise to us, as it was to many others. We learned about it from the media."
DDDD
Regarding the future of Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, Zelenskiy remained resolute: "No matter how difficult it is for us, Ukraine will not legally recognize the parts occupied by Russia. The east is ours, Crimea is ours, and all the other towns and villages that are important to us."
Comments
Post a Comment