Stand behind Ukrainian independent journalism when it’s needed most. Help us reach 20,000 members.

Skip to content
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reacts as he meets with Defence Secretary John Healey at 10 Downing Street on July 16, 2024, in London, England. (Benjamin Cremel / Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "dragging his feet" and obstructing peace efforts in Ukraine after Putin declined to attend face-to-face talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey, the Guardian reported on May 15.

"What's happened today is further evidence that it's Putin who is dragging his feet," Starmer said. "It is Putin who is causing the delay in a ceasefire."

After Moscow proposed to hold peace talks in Turkey this week, Zelensky agreed and invited Putin for a face-to-face meeting. The Russian leader declined to attend and appointed his aide, Vladimir Medinsky, to lead the talks.

Ukraine, in turn, decided to send its delegation on May 15, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. It would not include the head of the General Staff, and the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), as it was previously suggested.

Starmer said Ukraine had already agreed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire and that it was Moscow that continued to block progress.

"Ukraine has long been clear, several months ago now, that they would have a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, and we have long said that it’s Putin who is standing in the way of that peace," he said.

The talks, which could become the first direct diplomatic encounter between the two leaders since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, stalled after Putin appointed a delegation of lower-level officials to attend instead. Zelensky and Putin met only once during the 2019 Normandy Four meeting in France. Since then, there have been no direct in-person meetings between the two.

Kyiv and its allies have proposed an unconditional 30-day ceasefire beginning on May 12 as a first step toward peace — a proposal that Russia has so far ignored.

Zelensky decries Russia’s ‘sham’ delegation ahead of potential peace talks in Turkey
“We need to understand what the level of the Russian delegation is, what their mandate is, and whether they are capable of making decisions on their own,” Zelensky said.

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.

We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.

Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?

Can we reach 20,000 members?

News Feed

5:42 PM

New footage from Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb hitting Russian bombers.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has published new drone footage from Operation Spiderweb – the remarkable special operation targeting four Russian airbases with low-cost FPV drones. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces confirmed on June 3 that Russia lost 41 military aircraft as a result of the operation. The estimated damage inflicted upon Russia is estimated to exceed $7 billion.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.