Address for Russia-Ukraine peace talks again in Istanbul

There is hope for peace again in the war between the Russian Federation and NATO-EU- backed Ukraine that has been going on for more than three years. The international political arena has become lively after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that they are ready for a peace talk with Ukraine in Istanbul without any preconditions. The talks are expected to take place on May 15, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he wants to meet Vladimir Putin face to face. However, it seems unlikely that the two leaders will hold such a meeting at this stage.

The Russian and Ukrainian sides held talks in Istanbul in the early days of the war (March 2022), and the text of the agreement agreed upon and initialed by the Ukrainian delegation could not enter into force due to the intervention of Western states, especially the UK and the US.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to direct negotiations with Ukraine. However, Putin argues that these talks should take place without any preconditions and demands that Ukraine declare neutrality and recognize the regions annexed by Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he is ready to hold face-to-face talks in Istanbul on May 15. However, Zelenskyy emphasized that for this meeting to take place, Russia must first accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump has actively supported the peace process, calling on Ukraine to begin negotiations without preconditions. "The time has come to restore peace in Ukraine, and I think we will do it," Trump said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Turkey is an ideal host for peace talks. Erdoğan said, "Our country will be an ideal host for the talks that are likely to be held between Russia, Ukraine and America in the upcoming period."

These peace talks planned in Istanbul are seen as an important step towards ending the war. However, the preconditions and demands of the parties reveal the difficulties of the process. The international community is closely following whether these talks will be successful.