During the official visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Turkey on November 19, there was no meeting with U.S. President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. This was reported by a diplomatic source.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Information Regarding the Visit of the Ukrainian Delegation
According to the head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, all scheduled meetings during the delegation’s stay in Turkey, led by Volodymyr Zelensky, took place as planned and were conducted in a working atmosphere. At the same time, Yermak emphasized the ongoing communication with representatives of the U.S. administration, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, but did not specify whether a personal meeting with him was planned during this visit.
“I am in constant communication with representatives of the U.S. administration, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Together with our American partners, we are working to end Russia’s war against Ukraine and ensure a just and lasting peace.”
Context of the Negotiations and Ukraine’s Position
The day before, on November 18, Axios reported that Steve Witkoff was supposed to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey but postponed his trip. Meetings were discussed at the level of Ukrainian and American officials. According to a Ukrainian official, Witkoff held talks with the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, during a meeting earlier in the week in Miami. Official Kyiv confirms that the American side is actively working on specific issues of bilateral cooperation.
In October of this year, President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is ready for negotiations on a ceasefire, but only on the condition that this does not involve the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from certain territories and their transfer to the aggressor.