Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga held an important meeting in Turkey, during which he discussed current issues related to peace and diplomatic coordination in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Specifically, the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry met with U.S. Secretary of State Mark R. Rubio and Senator Lindsey Graham, once again highlighting international concern and the tension surrounding efforts to find a way out of the crisis. As Andriy Sybiga himself reported through his social media account on X (formerly Twitter), this meeting took place in the coastal city of Antalya with the aim of “conveying the vision of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky regarding peaceful efforts and coordinating joint actions during this highly important week.” The Minister noted that the parties discussed the logic of further steps, as well as shared their approaches and positions on the future resolution of the conflict. “I met with U.S. Secretary of State Mark R. Rubio and Senator Lindsey Graham in Antalya to clearly transmit Ukraine’s perspective and reaffirm our desire to find a peaceful solution. It is important to have a unified understanding of the next steps, so we carefully discussed the logic of future actions and exchanged views on ways to achieve peace,” Sybiga stated in his message. In his statement, the diplomat emphasized that Ukraine confirm’s with high confidence “its firm and consistent commitment to peaceful efforts by the U.S. leadership.” He expressed gratitude for the active support and involvement of the United States in this process, as well as reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness to continue cooperation on mutually beneficial terms. “We believe that constructive dialogue and mutual understanding are key factors in achieving peace. At the same time, we emphasize that Russia must respond reciprocally to our proposals and steps, as any refusal to cooperate threatens further escalation of the conflict,” the minister underscored. He also added that on the same day, within the framework of diplomatic meetings, Ukrainian officials discussed with representatives of major European states the issue of “decisive steps” against Russia, including the possibility of new sanctions that strengthen Kyiv’s positions globally and support diplomatic efforts to pressure the aggressor into peace. Prior to the Antalya meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a statement expressing hope to receive clear information from the Russian Federation regarding delegates participating in upcoming negotiations in Turkey. Zelensky noted that after determining the participants, he would define further steps and strategies toward resolving the conflict, emphasizing that this process is crucial for Ukraine’s future. Additional tension was caused by information about a possible meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. According to Ukrainian officials, if Putin refuses to attend in Turkey, it will be a signal exchange indicating Russia’s lack of readiness to settle the war. Andriy Yermak, Head of the President’s Office, stressed that ignoring such an invitation from the Kremlin would worsen the diplomatic situation and hinder efforts to achieve peace. Regarding the operation of the negotiation format itself, on May 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the composition of the delegation to participate in bilateral consultations with Ukraine in Turkey, scheduled for May 15. However, the list of delegates officially does not include the Russian president himself, which is viewed negatively by Ukraine, as the absence of the Kremlin leader at negotiations is considered a sign of weakness and reluctance to conduct genuine talks. Meanwhile, the international community remains focused on the possibility of diplomatic dialogue. U.S. President Donald Trump, in this context, announced that he does not plan to visit Turkey for the planned negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. This again underscores the complexity and ambiguity of the international situation surrounding future conflict resolution, as the U.S. continues to support Ukraine but does not show readiness to personally participate in the negotiations process in Turkey. Thus, the situation around the upcoming talks remains tense, and diplomatic efforts are critically important for shaping prospects for peace. It is expected that the coming weeks will reveal which cultural and political factors will enable compromise or intensify splits within international efforts to resolve the conflict.