Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy engaged in discussions with President Donald Trump and key Western allies from France, Germany, the U.K., and Poland following unsuccessful peace negotiations with Russia on Friday that failed to establish any ceasefire agreement.
Representatives from Ukraine and Russia convened in Turkey for the first time in three years, while Trump aims to expedite the resolution of the conflict.
“Had a conversation with [the President of the United States] along with President Macron, Federal Chancellor Merz, Prime Ministers Starmer and Tusk,” Zelenskyy mentioned in a Friday post on X. “Our focus was on the meeting in Istanbul.”
From left to right, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a telephone conversation with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of a meeting at the 6th European Political Community summit on May 16, 2025 at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania. (Photo by KuglerSteffen/Bundesregierung via Getty Images)
Instead, Trump reiterated his belief that he and Putin need to meet in order for any progress to be made and told reporters on Friday from the UAE, “We have to meet. He and I will meet. I think we’ll solve it.
“Or maybe not, but at least we’ll know,” Trump continued. “And if we don’t solve it, [it’ll] be very interesting.”
Trump has not said when he plans to meet with Putin or what steps he will take if Putin does not agree to end his war.
The talks, first proposed by Putin last week, were agreed to by Zelenskyy, who upped the ante and suggested the leaders of the warring nations should attend the negotiations.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkiye, on May 15, 2025. (Photo by Turkish Presidency / Murat Kula / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
However, in a last-minute announcement on Thursday, after officials from Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. landed in Turkey, the Kremlin confirmed that not only would Putin not be in attendance, but the delegation would not be led by any senior members of Putin’s government – a move Zelenskyy said proved Russia was “unserious” about a ceasefire.
The talks failed to materialize on Thursday after officials were left wondering when and if they would even meet for discussions. The negotiations were then pushed to Friday, but this time neither Zelenskyy nor Secretary of State Marco Rubio said they would be in attendance.
