Zelensky Announces Date for New Round of Negotiations with Moscow in Turkey

In a new development in efforts to end the war between Moscow and Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced yesterday evening, Monday, that the next round of talks with the Russian side will be held next Wednesday in Turkey.

This comes after previous rounds that did not achieve tangible progress, where Zelensky said in his daily address on social media platforms that he discussed with Ruslan Homchak, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the preparations for the war prisoners exchange process and the readiness for a new meeting with the Russian side.

Zelensky confirmed that the upcoming negotiations will not directly address the ceasefire, emphasizing that the priority will be to repatriate Ukrainian prisoners and children who Kyiv accuses Moscow of kidnapping, in addition to preparing for a presidential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, considering this meeting as the decisive step towards making real progress in ending the conflict.

It is worth mentioning that Zelensky had traveled to Turkey in mid-May to hold a meeting with Putin, but he did not succeed, as the Kremlin has so far refused to hold direct presidential talks without prior preparation.

On the other hand, Moscow, through Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, indicated the continuation of efforts to schedule the third round of talks, emphasizing the need for further diplomatic work, especially with two conflicting drafts on the peace agreement, as Russia demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from four areas annexed in September 2022 and the cessation of Western military support to Ukraine, which Kyiv rejected and deemed as "unacceptable ultimatums".

These developments come amid international pressure, especially from the United States, which set a 50-day deadline for Russia to reach an agreement, threatening additional economic sanctions in case the talks fail.