Rutte on the Russian delegation: the Russians are not using the opportunity provided by Zelensky to achieve peace

By sending a low-level delegation to the talks in Turkey, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin failed to seize the opportunity for peace.

As reported by Censor.NET with reference to Ukrinform, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made this statement during a press conference in Antalya on the sidelines of an informal meeting of the Alliance’s foreign ministers.

“The Russians are sending a low-level delegation and are not using the opportunity provided by President Zelensky. He has stated that he is ready to sit down at the negotiating table with Putin. As soon as there is a ceasefire, we are ready to negotiate a peace agreement—so Ukraine is clearly ready to play by the rules. But now the ball is in Russia’s court,” he emphasized.

According to Rutte, any ceasefire or peace agreement aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine must be “durable and sustainable” to avoid a repeat of the 2014–2015 situation with the Minsk agreements, “which were effectively violated before the ink was even dry.”

“We cannot allow that to happen again. Peace must be lasting and strong. This week, the ball is clearly in Russia’s court,” the NATO Secretary General added.

As a reminder, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted that the success of the talks in Turkey would depend on whether Russia shows up—and in what capacity.

Earlier, it was reported that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had officially approved the composition of the delegation that would travel to Istanbul on May 15 for negotiations with Ukraine. According to the document, the delegation will include: Vladimir Medinsky, aide to the Russian ruler; Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Foreign Minister; Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces; and Alexander Fomin, Deputy Minister of Defense.

Natalya Dzhuma