Zelenskyy’s Istanbul move signals willingness for peace talks, expert says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent actions have been interpreted as a clear signal of his readiness to end the conflict with Russia and engage in meaningful negotiations, according to expert Kakha Gogolashvili.

Speaking ahead of a planned high-level meeting, Gogolashvili suggested that Zelenskyy’s decision to initiate talks in Istanbul was intended to demonstrate his greater goodwill and preparedness compared to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Perhaps Zelenskyy himself did not expect Putin to come to Istanbul to meet with him,” Gogolashvili said. “He used this move to show everyone that he is much more ready and has more goodwill to end this war and start negotiations than Putin, and if anyone is hindering the peace process, it is Putin and his side.”

However, Gogolashvili cautioned that before such a summit can take place, a range of preliminary issues must be resolved. He highlighted that diplomatic negotiations typically begin at technical and institutional levels before escalating to the highest political echelons.

“In Russian statements, there were tones that this is not how meetings are prepared at the highest level. They meant that talks should first be conducted at a lower level,” he said. “Negotiations never start at the highest level. They always start at a more technical level, and then, when the ground is prepared and some issues are agreed upon, a decision is made at the highest political level.”