Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
"Ukraine has initiated a coordinated campaign to vilify Hungary in order to undermine our initiative to hold a poll on (Kyiv's) EU membership," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that further concessions from Ukraine during negotiations would be unreasonable if Russia continues to attack civilian targets.
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported on May 13, citing three undisclosed sources.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
A captive named Umit allegedly agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monetary reward of 2 million rubles ($25,000).
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (R) and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto meet on Dec. 11, 2023. (Peter Szijjarto / Facebook)
There is a long road ahead before a meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky can take place, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said during a briefing on Jan. 30, as reported by Reuters.
The announcement comes only a day after Szijjarto met with his Ukrainian counterpart in Uzhhorod to prepare for a potential meeting between Zelensky and Orban. Hungary reportedly presented conditions to Ukraine that would create a "clean slate" between the two countries and pave the way for the two heads of state to officially meet.
During a press conference immediately following a meeting between Szijjarto and other Ukrainian officials, Szijjarto said that Budapest laid out an 11-point request to Ukraine regarding the rights of national minorities.
Budapest has repeatedly accused Kyiv of oppressing the rights of Hungarian minorities that live in the western regions of Ukraine, near the border between the two countries, which Kyiv denies.
According to the minister, Hungary wants to return the rights its minority had before 2015. The list includes the restoration of the status of a national school, the ability to take a high school diploma in Hungarian, and the ability to use Hungarian in public life.
Hungary and Ukraine have had a contentious relationship that has worsened since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. Orban has maintained close ties with Russia, bucking the united front that the EU has tried to present in support of Ukraine.
Orban has opposed the launch of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations and blocked the passage of a 50 billion euro ($54 billion) aid package for Ukraine in December. EU leaders are set to meet on Feb. 1 to vote on the package again.
Martin Fornusek
