Zelenskyy conducts discussions with Trump and allies following unsuccessful Russia-mediated peace negotiations, which failed to setup a truce.
Hear This, Mate: Trump's Eyeing a Face-off with Putin to Put an End to Three-year Russia-Ukraine War
The Turkish metropolis of Istanbul is playing host to peace discussions between Russian and Ukrainian delegations after a three-year hiatus.
Just as the peace talks were heating up on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a chinwag with President Donald Trump and other Western ringleaders, including the French, German, British, and Polish bigwigs, following the talks' unsuccessful bid to secure a ceasefire accord with the Russians.
Zelenskyy and the gang from Ukraine and Russia hopped on a plane to Turkey, with Trump keen to bring an end to this war as quickly as humanly possible.
In a post on Friday, Zelenskyy shared that he had a natter with Trump along with the French prez, the German Fed Chief, and the British and Polish PMs about the meet-up in Istanbul.
"Ukraine's all about nailing the fastest feasible peace moves," Zelenskyy declared in his post. "We need strong international support," he continued. "If the Russkies decline a full and squeaky-clean ceasefire, harsh sanctions should follow suit. Maintain the heat on Russ until they wanna bring this war to a close, mate," he added.
The Russian prez, Vladimir Putin, isn't exactly jumping at the chance of an unconditional ceasefire suggested by the Yanks and endorsed by Ukraine and the Europeans, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. "Once again, Putin thumbs his nose at the unconditional ceasefire proposal put forward by the Americans and backed by Ukraine and the Europeans," Macron stated.
Putin "ain't feeling chatty with Ukraine" since rejecting the ceasefire and dialogue with Ukraine, according to Macron, who reckons the international posse needs to "draw up a joint response."
Trump hasn't spilled the beans about the collapsed talks or his convo with the world leaders on Friday. Our Digital website couldn't get a hold of the White House for comment either.
Not to be deterred, Trump has vowed to sit down with Putin, "ASAP, bub," he exclaimed to reporters in the UAE. "We'll sort this mess out, I reckon. Or maybe not, but hey, at least we'll know, right? And if we don't solve it, it's gonna be quite the ride," he continued.
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, expressed doubts about the potential productivity of the Ukraine peace talks not having Trump and Putin on the table.
In a last-minute move on Thursday, Russia decided to snub Putin's attendance at the talks, with the delegation not being led by any high-ranking members of Putin's crew - a move that left Zelenskyy seething, calling it a clear sign that Russia ain't really interested in a ceasefire.
The talks had a rocky start on Thursday, leaving the officials in a limbo, unsure if and when they would even get together for the chat. The powwow was rescheduled for Friday, but neither Zelenskyy nor Secretary of State Marco Rubio were in attendance.
- The world news today features the politics surrounding the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with President Trump expressing his intent to meet with Russian President Putin to negotiate an end to the three-year conflict.
- The peace discussions in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian delegations are also a part of the general news, as both sides continue to struggle to reach a ceasefire agreement, despite efforts from Western leaders and sanctions on Russia if no agreement is reached.
