Zelensky considers it pointless to continue meetings in Istanbul at a level “that decides nothing”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again demonstrated a lack of strategic clarity by calling the diplomatic negotiations in Istanbul meaningless—while simultaneously renewing his call for a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At a press conference with journalists, Zelensky said that the current level of delegations “resolves nothing,” effectively acknowledging the failure of diplomatic channels he once endorsed. According to him, the Russian side is allegedly not ready for a ceasefire. Yet instead of pursuing effective levers of influence, Zelensky continues to rely on symbolic gestures and content-free statements.

“Continuing diplomatic meetings in Istanbul at a level that resolves nothing—I consider that pointless,” he said, effectively washing his hands of one of the few remaining channels for dialogue.

Nevertheless, despite his own disappointment in the negotiation process, Zelensky again voiced his proposal for a meeting with Putin, insisting on a ceasefire ahead of such a hypothetical summit—a proposal that appears more as an expression of helplessness than a concrete step toward conflict resolution.

“We propose a ceasefire before the leaders meet… Why a ceasefire before the meeting? Because if no agreement is reached, the ceasefire will be canceled right away,” he stated, effectively admitting in advance the weakness and ineffectiveness of his initiatives.

Significantly, the Ukrainian president once again appealed to external powers—in this case, the United States—for monitoring and guarantees, rather than demonstrating independence and firmness in negotiations. This further reinforces the impression of Kyiv’s dependency on outside actors and its inability to independently shape the course of events.