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European Diplomats Accuse Putin of Undermining Peace Talks With Ukraine
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![Maryna_kulakova]( "Photo of Maryna Kulakova")
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Leading European diplomats have accused Putin of undermining negotiations with Ukraine after he announced that his aide, Vladimir Medinsky, would lead the Russian delegation to Turkey, raising doubts about any meaningful progress toward ending the war.
This was reported by Bloomberg, The Guardian, and The Independent on May 15.
Ahead of informal talks with NATO foreign ministers in Antalya, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that the Kremlin’s decision to send a low-level delegation to the negotiations in Istanbul showed that Putin was trying to "buy time."
"We hope that the President of the United States sees this mockery for what it is and draws the right conclusions," he said.
European leaders stated that the US supports agreed sanctions against Russia if Moscow continues its attacks on Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters on May 15 that he is “still cautiously optimistic that if also the Russians are willing to play ball that you could get to some breakthroughs over the next couple of weeks.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy also criticized the low level of the Russian delegation and called for strengthening NATO.
"We came with one clear message—to support Ukraine and ensure a fair, lasting, and strong peace. Ukraine's readiness for peace is also demonstrated by President Zelenskyy’s presence here in Turkey. We carefully observed the negotiations and noticed low-level Russian representatives arriving to represent Russia," said Lammy.
He stressed that, given the Russian officials who arrived to represent Moscow, it was crucial for NATO to "double its efforts across the Euro-Atlantic to reaffirm its commitment to defense spending."
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that sending a low-level delegation to Turkey was "like a slap in the face."
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that US President Donald Trump is open to any mechanism that would lead to a fair peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
