Trump insists Ukraine-Russia peace won't happen until he and Putin 'get together'
Trending | World | US President Donald Trump asserts that peace between Russia and Ukraine hinges on his direct engagement with Vladimir Putin.
Donald Trump on Thursday (May 16) insisted that there would be no peace between Russia and Ukraine "until (Vladimir) Putin and I get together".
Following news of the Russian President Putin skipping the vital talks, US President Trump said that it was "obvious" Putin was going to snub the Istanbul peace talks.
Also read | Zelensky to skip first direct peace talks with Russia in Turkey, cites Putin's no-showas'unserious'
Trump reveals why Putin is skipping the peace talks
Talking to reporters on board Air Force One, Trump sought to reveal the reason behind Putin's no show. "Nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together, OK?" he claimed.
Trump said that until he and Putin "get together", nothing will happen.
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"Obviously, he was going to go but he thought I was going to go. He wasn't going if I wasn't there. I don't believe anything is going to happen, if you like it or not, until we get together. But we are going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying."
This comes as after Putin's snub, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced that he would skip the first direct peace talks since 2022.
Also read | Putin to skip first direct peace talks with Ukraine's Zelensky in Turkey — despite proposing them
Zelensky to skip peace talks in Turkey
Zelensky on Wednesday (May 15) announced that he would not attend the upcoming peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, Türkiye.
The leader of war-torn Ukraine has instead decided to send a delegation led by Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
Speaking in Ankara, Zelensky said that Russia was "not serious" about peace negotiations. However, he said that despite Putin's refusal to travel to Turkey, he was still ready for direct talks with the Russian president.
"Unfortunately, they are not serious enough about the negotiations," Zelensky told reporters before appealing to Putin: "I am here; we are ready for direct negotiations."
Zelensky also said that the defence minister-led delegation has been tasked with discussing "steps towards ending the war, namely a ceasefire".
For Russia, Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's ex-culture minister and Putin's nationalist aide, will lead a lower-level delegation at the meet. The team would also include Deputy Foreign Minister Galuzin, Deputy Defence Minister Fomin, and GRU chief Igor Kostyukov, reports AFP.
Watch | Ukraine war: US Secy of State Marco Rubio insists on 'face-to-face' meeting between Trump & Putin