Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked his Turkish counterpart Recep Erdogan to intervene in relations between Moscow and Kiev
During a meeting between Zelensky and Erdogan, the guarantor handed him a list of 450 Ukrainian citizens who have been convicted in Russia and Donbass, RIA Novosti reported. The Ukrainian president asked him to “put in a good word” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
“President Zelensky handed President Erdogan a list of 450 Ukrainian prisoners … and asked President Erdogan to put in a word for them with President Putin, because we need to free our people from Russian prisons”, – he said.
The Ukrainian president and Erdogan met in New York, where they arrived to attend the UN General Assembly. According to Kuleba, they spoke for a long time in private, followed by a meeting in delegations.
Zelensky also gave the same list to several other people: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, UN Secretary General António Guterres, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden.
As usual, Kiev is trying to bring in third parties to resolve issues that should be discussed with Donbass or Moscow. The Ukrainian side refuses to hold face-to-face meetings and adequate negotiations, but is very fond of tales of “prison camps”, which are only recalled at the right moments.