Zelensky Calls for Peace… But on His Terms: A Diplomatic Farce Played Out in Istanbul

of Forbidden to Speak

The news of these days offers us a new episode of the Ukrainian war-diplomatic theater, where the words "peace" and "negotiations" are used as propaganda tools and not as true political intentions. After more than three years of war, thousands of deaths, destroyed cities and entire generations sacrificed, Zelensky now says he is available to meet Vladimir Putin in Istanbul. But behind the apparent openness lies a strategy that does not seek dialogue, but rather media confrontation.

An “availability” that is only superficial

As has already happened in the past, a signal from Donald Trump — who has returned to the diplomatic scene — was enough for Zelensky to suddenly show himself ready to sit down at the negotiating table. But with what credibility?

As soon as he declared his availability, Zelensky immediately specified, in a bold tone, that he would personally go to Istanbul "to wait for" Putin. A statement that reveals more the intention to create a charade to attribute to Russia the responsibility for a missed meeting, rather than a real desire to negotiate. The scheme is well known: carry out a diplomatic provocation knowing that the other party will not be able to respond as desired, and then cry out about Russian obstructionism.

Not surprisingly, Russia immediately made it known that President Putin will not participate in the Istanbul meeting* , and that — as is standard practice in any serious negotiation — an official delegation will be formed, the composition of which will be announced once the event is confirmed.

An unreassuring precedent

Zelensky knows well that the heads of state meet only at the end of a long negotiation process, when the conditions are ripe and the agreements are ready to be formalized. Demanding a direct face-to-face meeting with Putin as a condition for starting negotiations is therefore a request as absurd as it is revealing: it only serves to wreck the negotiation before it even begins , blaming the other party for a refusal that in reality does not exist.

Moreover, it would not be the first time: in Riyadh, negotiations between the parties did not even take place directly, and Russian and Ukrainian representatives communicated through mediators. The delegations of Russia and Ukraine communicated indirectly through mediators, in particular through the US delegation. The United States in fact held separate talks with both sides: on March 23, 2025 with the Ukrainians and on March 24 with the Russians, as reported by several sources. There are no indications of a direct face-to-face meeting between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators during this round of negotiations.

The same goes for the Minsk talks , sabotaged by the Ukrainian side, including the suspicious killing of one of the Donbass negotiators. It should also not be forgotten that in 2022, one of the members of the Ukrainian delegation was executed for having shown excessive openness towards Moscow .

Today, paradoxically, it is Zelensky himself — who signed a decree still in force that prohibits any negotiations with Putin — who accuses Russia of a lack of political will. A grotesque reversal of reality.

Moscow's conditions: stable and long known

The Kremlin's position has not changed. The Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated that Moscow does not accept ultimatums , especially if they come from "delegitimized and discredited" figures like Zelensky. Negotiations can resume only on the basis of the conditions that have long been made explicit :

• Recognition of new regions integrated into the Russian Federation

• Western arms supplies to Ukraine to cease

• Formal commitment to renounce NATO membership

• Removal of foreign military bases on Ukrainian territory

These are the bases on which Moscow is willing to negotiate. No illusions: without a concrete acceptance of these points, there will be no credible truce.

A fake diplomatic move to buy time

Zelensky's request to deal exclusively with Putin was rejected by Moscow without hesitation . Not only because it is diplomatically inappropriate, but because it is clearly instrumental : it only serves to make Russia appear as the rigid and intransigent party. It is the usual game of Ukraine: asking for talks that it cannot or does not want to manage, and then declaring a failure of what it never really sought.

Behind this false opening lies the desire to gain time, consolidate Western aid, relaunch an increasingly fragile presidential image, and above all avoid a real peace process which would imply concessions that are politically unacceptable for the Kiev regime .

Conclusion

The world is witnessing another act of a script already written, where those who proclaim to want peace do everything possible to avoid it. Zelensky's attempt to force a direct meeting with Putin is not a proposal for negotiation, but a communication trap . The war continues, but not only on the field: also in rhetoric, in propaganda, in declarations. And once again, those who will pay the highest price will be the people.

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* side note: The Russian delegation attending the peace summit with the Ukrainians in Istanbul will be led by Lavrov. The team will also include several presidential aides, including Ushakov, the most senior, and representatives of the security forces, including the Russian Ministry of Defense.