Possible Putin-Zelensky Meeting Discussed at High-Level Ukraine Talks in Turkey

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, in Turkey on Thursday and discussed the possibility of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Throughout the fighting in Ukraine, Zelensky has said he’s willing to meet with Putin. After Thursday’s talks, Lavrov said Putin wouldn’t “refuse” a meeting with the Ukrainian leader.

Kuleba said that the talks failed to make progress on establishing a ceasefire around the city of Mariupol. Both sides have accused the other of hampering civilian evacuations from the city. “We also talked on the ceasefire but no progress was accomplished on that,” Kuleba said.