President Zelensky will meet only with President Putin in Istanbul for direct talks on the war, a Ukrainian presidential adviser has said.
“Only Putin can decide whether the war continues or ends. That’s indisputable,” Mykhailo Podolyak told Russian opposition journalists, ruling out talks between Zelensky and Russian ministers or negotiators.
“We understand how power is structured in Russia,” Podolyak said. “It’s clear that even people with formal ministerial status — or even someone like [the prime minister, Mikhail] Mishustin — are unlikely to be authorised to make key decisions.”
