15 May, 2025 13:12

Lavrov brands Zelensky ‘pathetic’

The top Russian diplomat has ridiculed the Ukrainian leader for demanding President Vladimir Putin personally attend talks in Istanbul

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has branded Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky a “pathetic person,”claiming that even his foreign backers have been asking him to stop acting “foolishly.”

Lavrov criticized the Ukrainian leader’s demands that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally attend upcoming talks in Istanbul,Türkiye, claiming that the issue was something “everyone understands, except him and his puppet-masters.”

“A pathetic person,” Lavrov added,stating that Zelensky’s “senior comrades later explained to him that he shouldn’t act so stupidly and that negotiations were needed.”

On Sunday, Putin proposed relaunching direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine which were unilaterally abandoned by Kiev in 2022. The potential meeting is expected to take place on Thursday in Istanbul, and the Kremlin has already confirmed the members of its delegation. These include presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin, and the head of Russia’s military intelligence, Igor Kostyukov.

Following the announcement of the Russian delegation,Zelensky branded the group “a prop,” drawing further condemnation from Moscow.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed thatMoscow’s negotiating team is made up of the country’s top experts. She suggested that Zelensky doesn’t even have an education and came to power using “information technology and huge capital investments” which, Zakharova claimed, were only given to him so that he would “work as a tool.”

“Who uses the word ‘prop?’ A clown, a loser,”Zakharova said, adding that the Ukrainian leader has “no right” to doubt the professional level of “anyone at all,” especially the highest professionals in their field.

The spokeswoman further noted that there was never any talk of Putin attending the negotiations in person and that Moscow had initially announced that it would be sending a delegation.

Zakharova stressed that it was the very same Russian delegation that gave Zelensky a chance three years ago to save his country and his people, which he ultimately rejected.

(The Russians understand the high stakes Trump has giving them to work this war out, Zelensky is the jokester leader he’s always been. Z is not getting the importance of what an opportunity Trump has given him, with additionally sending Witkoff and Trumps appointee in Ukraine. If these talks weren’t important to Russia and Ukraine, Trump wouldn’t send his envoys. Russia sent the top of the top of their government, but Zelensky is still acting as an evil dictator. The time for Z’s power to be taken away. He has never mastered anything but propaganda. At least the Trump team can confirm all problems come from Z. PS Z wrote the law he and his country will never communicate with Putin or Russia until Putin is dead. The Western backers must be pissed at Zelensky because when Trump sets something up, they take it seriously.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/617605-lavrov-zelensky-pathetic-person/

>>23036637

15 May, 2025 11:58

Trump team has ‘made the impossible possible’ – Putin envoy

Kirill Dmitriev has praised the White House for bringing Russians and Ukrainians to the table in Istanbul

US President Donald Trump and his team have “made the impossible possible” by bringing Moscow and Kiev to the cusp of their first direct negotiations since 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has said.

Dmitriev complemented Washington’s mediation efforts ahead of much anticipated talks in Istanbul on Thursday.

The meeting is set to happen “against all odds/fierce resistance,” he said on X, adding that if “not derailed last-minute, this could be a historic step to peace.”

Dmitriev specifically named US Vice President J.D. Vance, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as major contributors to the mediation effort.

Putin suggested Thursday as the day direct engagement between Russia and Ukraine could happen in a televised address last Sunday. Moscow has indicated that negotiations could continue from where they left off in 2022, when Kiev pulled out and tried to score a victory on the battlefield with Western military assistance. The U-turn came after then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Kiev to discard a draft peace treaty, which had been pre-agreed in Istanbul.

At the moment of writing, there was no certainty that a new round of negotiations would commence as expected. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, who is currently in the country to meet Turkish President Recep Erdogan, said the Ukrainian government had yet to make a final decision on how to proceed.

Zelensky announced his intention to go to Türkiye in response to Putin’s proposal, claiming that the Russian leader must reciprocate to prove his seriousness. Zelensky and leaders of European NATO nations supporting him have threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia unless Moscow agrees to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire – an idea that Russian officials have called a ruse to give Kiev time to regroup. The initial deadline on Monday has been postponed until the end of the week, pending the outcome of talks.

While Moscow has stated that it will seek a path towards lasting peace in Istanbul, which it says will require addressing the root causes of the conflict,Kiev has been vague about its goals. Some media reports have suggested that the Ukrainian delegation will focus on the proposed ceasefire first. Previously, Kiev insisted that no direct talks could happen without a truce.

(Russia thanks Trump, Zelenskyy makes trouble, and Z blames Putin. Zelensky is exposing his intent to try to use these talks for more propaganda.)

https://www.rt.com/news/617599-dmitriev-white-house-talks/

14 May, 2025 13:32

Russia-Ukraine peace talks: Live Updates 1/3

The delegations are in place but negotiatons have been pushed out to after lunch, according to Moscow

The first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years are scheduled to take place in Türkiye’s largest city, Istanbul, on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered on Sunday to resume direct dialogue between Moscow and Kiev to find a lasting settlement that would address the root causes of the conflict.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, who had previously ruled out any talks with Moscow,only agreed to attend following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his support for talks, his claim that Kiev should accept it “immediately,” and that he is also ready to travel to Istanbul.

While Zelensky has insisted he would only speak with Putin directly, the Russian president has so far given no indication that he is planning to travel to Türkiye.

Moscow and Ukraine last held direct talks in April 2022, also in Istanbul. Following reports that an agreement had been reached, Kiev unilaterally withdrew from the talks. President Putin later blamed Western interference and, in particular, then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had reportedly urged Kiev to “just continue fighting,” for derailing the peace process.

Russia, which had withdrawn its forces from the outskirts of Kiev as a goodwill gesture, later accused Ukraine of backtracking, saying it had lost trust in Ukraine’s negotiators.

15 May 2025

14:07 GMT

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has confirmed that he will be sending a delegation to the talks with Russia in Istanbul,adding that he had decided to do so out of respect for US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Ukrainian team, which will be headed by Defense Minister RustemUmerov, is planning to discuss a ceasefire during the talks with the Russian side, he said.

Kiev’s negotiators will remain in Istanbul on Friday as the negotiations could well go into the second day, Zelensky added.

14:05 GMT

Moscow is ready to discuss “possible compromises” during direct talks with Kiev, the head of the Russian delegation and presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, has said.

The Russian team is prepared to resume the negotiating processwith Ukraine and remains “in a good working mood,” Medinsky told journalists.==

13:54 GMT

Vladimir Zelensky has decided to send a delegation to the talks with the Russian team in Istanbul, AFP has reported, citing unnamed senior Ukrainian official.According to the agency, the Ukrainian leader will not take part in the negotiations himself.

13:37 GMT

Donald Trump has said he is “not disappointed”with the level of the delegation sent by Russia for the talks in Istanbul. Vladimir Zelensky had earlier claimed it was insufficient.

"Why would I be disappointed? We just took in $4 trillion and he says ‘are you disappointed about a delegation?’,” Trump replied when asked about the issue, referring to deals announced during his tour of the Middle East.

“Look, nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together. Okay?” the US president added.

Moscow’s delegation for the talks in Türkiye comprises presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin, and the head of Russia’s military intelligence, Igor Kostyukov.

13:13 GMT

Turkish broadcaster TRT Haber has claimed that talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations have started in Istanbul. However, according to RT’s information, the report is inaccurate and the two sides have yet to begin negotiations.

12:58 GMT

A Ukrainian diplomatic source has told Reuters that Kiev is still considering whether to send a delegation to speak with the Russian team that arrived in Istanbul earlier in the day.

The Ukrainian side could engage if it believes Moscow’s delegation is willing to have a “serious conversation,” the source said.But if Kiev decides that it is not the case, “we will have the right to conclude that this is a Russian charade, not meaningful work for peace,” the source added.

12:42 GMT

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has responded to NATO Secretary General MarkRutte, who claimed earlier in the day that “the ball is now on the Russian side”when it comes to stopping the fighting in the Ukraine conflict.

“We have not only the ball, but also the truth on our side. The problem is that no matter how much the NATO hooligans shout from the bench in order to score a goal we need the Ukrainian team on the pitch,” Zakharova said, referring to Kiev’s reluctance to confirm the participation of its delegation in direct talks with Moscow in Istanbul.

https://www.rt.com/news/617518-ukraine-talks-istanbul-zelensky/

>>23036759

2/3

12:20 GMT

Kremlin spokesmanDmitry Peskov has declined to say if Vladimir Putin would be taking part in the direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Türkiye at a later stage. Moscow already has a team of negotiators who have been selected by the Russian president, he reminded journalists.

“It is too early to talk now about what additional participation and at what level will be required in the future. Because we do not know if the Ukrainian negotiators will show up or not and how the negotiations will progress. The Russian delegation is ready and it is waiting in Istanbul,”Peskov stressed.

11:49 GMT

No preparations are currently underway for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump to meet in Istanbul in the coming days, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. “This issue has not been raised. We have nothing to say on this at the moment,” he stressed.

Trump claimed earlier that he could travel to Türkiye where direct talks between Russia and Ukraine are expected to take place, but only if Putin also comes.

11:03 GMT

The head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, said in a Telegram post thathe has “arrived in Istanbul on the instructions of the president as promised on May 15.” Moscow’s negotiators are “ready for serious professional work,” he stressed.

“The meaning of the direct negotiations proposed by Vladimir Putin is to establish a long-term and lasting peace by eliminating the root causes of the conflict,” he added.

15 May 2025

10:51 GMT

The meeting between Russia and Ukraine has not been canceled and is expected to start in two or three hours, a source has told TASS. RIA-Novosti also reported that the talks could begin in around three hours.

Zelensky said earlier that he would make a decision on negotiating with Moscow after his discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to Anadolu news agency, a meeting between Erdogan and Zelensky is currently underway in Ankara.

10:47 GMT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has blasted Vladimir Zelensky as a “pathetic person,” calling it clear to everyone except for the Ukrainian leader himself and his “puppet masters.”

He added thatZelensky, who initially demanded Putin come to Istanbul and talk to him personally, instantly changed his tune after his “superiors explained to him that one should not behave so stupidly and that negotiations are needed.”

10:00 GMT

The Guardian has reported that the heads of the Ukrainian delegation are not even in Istanbul where the talks with Russia are expected to take place,and are likely to remain in Ankara until Zelensky has spoken with Erdogan.

09:40 GMT

Vladimir Zelensky has arrived in Ankara, where he is expected to hold a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

After leaving the plane, the Ukrainian leader claimed that the seniority of the delegation sent by Moscow to the talks with Kiev in Istanbul was insufficient.

Russia will be represented at the meeting by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin and and the head of Russia’s military intelligence Igor Kostyukov.

https://www.rt.com/news/617518-ukraine-talks-istanbul-zelensky/

>>23036776

3/3

Medinsky headed Moscow’s delegation during the previous direct talks with Kiev in Istanbul in April 2022, while the presence of Kostyukov makes the lineup of the Russian negotiators even more high-ranking that three years ago. However, the country’s top officials, including President Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, will be staying out of the meeting.

Zelensky said that he will make further decisions on negotiating with Russia after his discussions with Erdogan.He also added that Kiev remains in constant contact with Washington regarding the peace process.

09:15 GMT

Vladimir Putin will not attend the direct talks between Moscow and Kiev in Istanbul this week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

When asked by journalists if there was a chance of the Russian president traveling to Türkiye, Peskov gave a short answer, saying: “no.”

09:07 GMT

The start of direct talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations has been rescheduled for the second half of the day at the initiative of the Turkish side, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said. Initial media reports suggested that the negotiations could begin at 10am local time in Istanbul (7am GMT).

08:22 GMT

UK national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, is expected to travel to Türkiye to provide background advice to Zelensky, the Guardian has reported.

The outlet described the possible negotiations in Istanbul as “an unpredictable meeting in an unclear format.”

Powell’s advice to Zelensky would be not to do anything that alienates Donald Trump, but encourage the US president to realize that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is an obstacle to peace, according to the British publication.

08:17 GMT

In a piece for the online newspaper Gazeta.ru, and translated and edited by the RT team, Russian journalist and political analyst Vitaly Ryumshin has taken a pessimistic view of the upcoming talks. According to Ryumshin, two main issues will hinder significant progress being made: the conditions for real peace talks simply don’t exist, and the poor track record of previous efforts.

08:00 GMT

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has confirmed that the Russian delegation has arrived in Istanbul. This corroborates earlier reports from an RT correspondent and a TASS source.

Moscow's negotiators are “ready for serious work,” Zakharova said during a briefing.

07:45 GMT

US President Donald Trump has said he could still travel to Türkiye if progress is made during direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

"You know, if something happened, I would go on Friday,” the US president told journalists in Qatar.

https://www.rt.com/news/617518-ukraine-talks-istanbul-zelensky/

Notable Quotes from Trump

Donald Trump has said he is “not disappointed”with the level of the delegationsent by Russia for the talks in Istanbul. Vladimir Zelensky had earlier claimed it was insufficient.

"Why would I be disappointed?We just took in $4 trillion and he says ‘are you disappointed about a delegation?’,” Trump replied when asked about the issue, referring to deals announced during his tour of the Middle East.

“Look, nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together. Okay?” the US president added.

Trump claimed earlier that he could travel to Türkiye where direct talks between Russia and Ukraine are expected to take place, but only if Putin also comes.

Trump just put Z on notice, his games are not going to work