Putin snubs peace talks in Istanbul, Starmer urges sanctions
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that Vladimir Putin is not taking peace talks about the war in Ukraine seriously. He made this remark following the Russian leader's failure to appear at negotiations in Istanbul.
Upon his arrival at the European Political Community summit in Tirana, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented on Vladimir Putin's absence from the Istanbul negotiations concerning the war in Ukraine. "I think what we saw yesterday and overnight is yet more evidence that Putin is not serious about peace," Starmer said.
He also underlined the crucial need for coordination with international partners to impose new sanctions on Russia. He pointed out that reaching a shared position among allies is a priority and noted that, while efforts toward a ceasefire remain essential, there must also be a unified plan for sanctions should those efforts fail.
Putin's absence at negotiations in Istanbul
The talks between delegations from the USA, Ukraine, and Turkey in Istanbul aimed to end the war in Ukraine. Despite initial expectations, the meeting did not lead to a breakthrough because neither Vladimir Putin nor the U.S. President attended.
For some time, there seemed to be a possibility of a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelensky in Turkey. The Ukrainian President was ready for such a meeting, but the Russian leader chose not to attend.
New EU sanctions on Russia
The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, announced another sanctions package against Russia. On Wednesday, EU countries preliminarily accepted the 17th package, which includes sanctions on additional Russian ships from the so-called shadow fleet and imposes restrictions on Russian prosecutors and judges involved in repressions against opposition figures Alexei Navalny and Vladimir Kara-Murza.
