Ukraine has refused to accept Russia’s ultimatums made at the start of the full-scale invasion, several times since and will not do so now. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky underlined his views during a meeting with the community at the Embassy of Ukraine in Ankara.
According to Zelensky, Russia has once again issued demands - including a reduction in the size of Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU) and recognizing occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian.
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“They wanted to install a pro-Russian leadership in Ukraine, fully under [Russian’s President] Putin’s control,” Zelensky said.
He suggested that negotiations along the same lines might currently be taking place, only between Russian and US representatives – without Ukraine’s involvement.
“Once again, talks about Ukraine, but without Ukraine. If we rejected ultimatums at the most critical moments, why would we accept them now?” Zelensky said.
During a press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Zelensky said they had discussed all possible diplomatic options.
“I firmly believe that for Ukraine, our region, and Europe, any negotiations to end the war must not happen behind the backs of those directly affected by Russian aggression,” he said.
Zelensky also emphasized that Ukraine is an integral part of Europe, including the EU, Turkey, and Britain—all of whom should be involved in talks alongside the US to establish lasting security guarantees.
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“The war is happening in our region, right on our doorstep. If we want a reliable and lasting peace, we cannot afford mistakes,” he said.
Zelensky postpones Saudi Arabia’s visit
Zelensky also announced that he was postponing his visit to Saudi Arabia, avoiding what he called “coincidences” after Russian and American officials met there.
When asked whether he would meet US officials in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 19 – once their talks with Russia were complete, Zelensky said that Ukraine was never invited to those discussions, saying:
“We were not invited to the Russian-US meeting in Saudi Arabia. It was as much a surprise to us as it was to many others - we learned about it from the media.”
“We don’t want anyone making decisions behind our backs,” he said.
He emphasized that while every country has its bilateral relations and is free to discuss any topic, decisions about ending the war in Ukraine cannot be made without Kyiv’s involvement.
“I don’t want our partners to think anything unnecessary about us. We are completely honest and open. I don’t want any coincidences, which is why I will not be going to Saudi Arabia tomorrow,” he added.
Instead, Ukraine has coordinated with Saudi officials and rescheduled the visit for March 10, but Zelensky confirmed that American officials are expected to visit Kyiv.
‘Neither side will win this war with weapons on the battlefield’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that neither Russia nor Ukraine is currently capable of achieving victory through military means alone.
“It seems to me that today it is clear that neither side will win this war with weapons on the battlefield,” Zelensky said. “Russia wanted to do this, but it could not. And Ukraine was not believed in, but it proved itself and defended its independence - at a very high price, with the lives of its people, its soldiers.”
He emphasized the need for a transition to diplomacy but stressed that it should lead to a just peace.
“I wanted you to pay attention: none of the players who are talking about negotiations today… no one is talking about the return of prisoners,” Zelensky said, adding that this issue should be a priority.
“We need to return thousands of people who are currently in captivity. If there is goodwill to end this war… I do not believe that Putin wants this, but if there is goodwill, then the exchange of prisoners must come first.”
NATO membership and security guarantees
He also stressed the importance of security guarantees, saying that while NATO countries, Europe, and the US could provide strong assurances and support Ukraine’s NATO membership, “we do not hear such support from the United States today.”
“We know that they [the US] and several other European partners do not support our NATO membership. I believe that this is a great desire of Russia. That leaves security guarantees that can work: a strong Ukrainian army and the possible presence of troops from other European countries, the US, and our partners.”
Zelensky clarified that these discussions extend beyond just the European Union, encompassing all of Europe. The issue was also raised in his meeting with Erdoğan, though he cautioned that it is too early to discuss the results of such negotiations.
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine will never legally recognize Russia’s occupation of its territories, including the eastern regions and Crimea.
Erdoğan: Turkey ready to host peace talks
During the joint press conference, Erdoğan reiterated Turkey’s willingness to facilitate negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Zelensky’s visit, he said, came at a moment when “changes in the dynamics of the war may occur.” He added that “there is no winner in war, and there is no loser in peace.”
Erdoğan recalled that Turkey had previously hosted Russia-Ukraine negotiations in 2022, leading to the Black Sea grain deal and other agreements.
“Our country is an ideal host for negotiations,” Erdoğan said. “We will continue supporting efforts to bring both sides closer to peace and ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.”
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