Zelensky Denied Entry to Russia-Ukraine Istanbul Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will send his representatives to Istanbul for negotiations with the Russian delegation.

Zelensky made the announcement during a press conference at the Ukrainian Embassy in Ankara.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the delegation. Zelensky clarified that the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk, and Chief of the General Staff, Andriy Hnatov, will not be part of the group.

According to Zelensky, the main issue Ukraine will raise is a ceasefire. He noted that the talks in Istanbul may continue tomorrow, May 16. The Ukrainian president also said meetings with the American delegation are expected.

France24 had earlier reported on Zelensky's plans, citing a Ukrainian official who told AFP that the president was deciding whom to send to the negotiations.

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Rustem Enverovych Umerov (born 19 April 1982) is a Ukrainian politician, businessman, investor, philanthropist and the current Defence Minister of Ukraine. Member of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Umerov is a former deputy head of the permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, a delegate of the Qurultay of the Crimean Tatar People, and an adviser to former Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People chair Mustafa Dzhemilev. Since December 2020, Umerov has also co-chaired the Crimea Platform diplomatic initiative. In September 2023, amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy named Umerov to replace Oleksii Reznikov as defense minister of Ukraine.