Zelenskyy Urges Trump to Recognize Putin as Barrier to Peace Ahead of Turkey Talks

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on former U.S. President Donald Trump to acknowledge that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the primary obstacle to ending the war in Ukraine. The appeal comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to bring the warring sides to the negotiating table in Turkey later this week.

Speaking to a group of international journalists in Kyiv, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is ready for dialogue and is not delaying the peace process. “President Trump must understand that Putin is not seeking peace,” Zelenskyy stated. “It’s essential to show that Ukraine is not the side stalling progress.”

Zelenskyy confirmed he will travel to Turkey on Thursday regardless of whether Putin attends, underscoring Ukraine’s willingness to engage in direct talks. He has scheduled a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara and expressed readiness to shift to Istanbul immediately if Putin agrees to join.

The latest diplomatic push follows a surprise late-night address from the Kremlin last week, in which Putin proposed holding direct talks in Istanbul. Zelenskyy responded swiftly, saying he would be waiting in Turkey for a face-to-face meeting.

Zelenskyy stressed that only an agreement between the presidents could lead to a credible ceasefire. “Lower-level talks won’t work unless a truce is agreed by the leaders,” he said. He added that previous indirect talks in Saudi Arabia failed because there was no commitment from the top.

Although he did not rule out sending a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul, Zelenskyy remained cautious. “I honestly don’t know yet. Maybe the U.S. or others will want to try reviving that format, but real progress depends on Putin.”

If no progress is made in Turkey, Zelenskyy signaled that further sanctions may soon be imposed. “I believe Trump supports additional sanctions, and there is backing in Congress. I think the U.S. is close to action,” he said, noting that confidential consultations with European leaders are already underway.