On 17 May, the Russian ministry of foreign affairs announced that the talks had been terminated at the initiative of Ukraine. Advisor to the head of the office of the president of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podoliak, confirmed the information. According to him, the talks are suspended for good reasons.
It should be noted that the Ukrainian side insists on talks between the two countries' leaders to resolve the current situation effectively. Zelenskyy himself repeated this at the economic forum in Davos. He mentioned the reason why he might refuse to meet with Putin.
"They have such a decision-making structure in the state that without him (Putin — ed.) no decisions are made. All the institutions are united by one decision — the decision of the president of the Russian Federation," said the president of Ukraine.
Therefore, according to the Ukrainian leader, a meeting between the two presidents is necessary. But he's only willing to face the aggressor if there's a direct ceasefire discussion during the meeting.
"We don't have much desire to meet middlemen anymore. Therefore, I do not perceive any meeting with anyone from Russia except the president of the Russian Federation. And only if there is one question on the table — the end of the war. Everything. Nothing else to talk about," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
