Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky urged Donald Trump, on Tuesday, May 13, to help secure a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday, accusing the Russian leader of not seriously wanting to negotiate an end to the war.
"We will do everything to ensure that this meeting takes place," said Zelensky, though he also accused Putin of not seriously wanting to end the war or negotiate with him. "I believe that Putin does not want the war to end, does not want a ceasefire, does not want any negotiations," Zelensky said. The Kremlin has so far declined to comment on Zelensky's invitation to meet in Turkey for the second day running on Tuesday, after Putin himself had suggested direct Russia-Ukraine talks.
Trump, meanwhile, has welcomed the idea of a meeting between the two presidents and said he might go himself. "We have invited President Trump to join us. I do not know the US president's decision, but if he confirms his participation, I think it would give additional impetus for Putin to come," Zelensky told a press conference in Kyiv.
Kyiv also urged the United States to levy its most hard-hitting package of sanctions on Moscow if Putin rejects the call to meet. "This should be the strongest package of sanctions," Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv. Putin shunning the meeting would be a "clear signal that they do not want and are not going to end the war," Zelensky added.