Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated he does not believe that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin would come to Istanbul for direct negotiations with him, although he does not completely rule out the possibility.

Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv that he will be in Ankara on Thursday to conduct the negotiations. He plans to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the two will wait for Putin to arrive, he said. Zelenskyy said that if Putin chooses Istanbul to hold the meeting, then both leaders will travel there.

Already on Thursday, May 15, in Türkiye, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin may meet in person for the first time since 2019. The United States wants to join the negotiations as well. However, Moscow has yet to confirm whether the Kremlin leader himself will attend.