To wrap up for now:
Recep Erdogan will meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Lviv. During his visit today, the Turkish president is to take the initiative of a temporary ceasefire and propose the resumption of the negotiation process in Istanbul and make Turkey a platform for the meeting of the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, informs NTV, citing government sources. In turn, NEXTA informs that the Turkish leader is to propose to the President of Ukraine a meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Accepting sitting to negotiation table with Russians would legitimate their currently held positions. I wonder how this will develop. The idea must have been already accepted by Russians for whom this is currently the only chance to try getting from initiated by them (and only them) brutal conflict with any gains and to help them saving remaining leftovers of their international position. I'd say - good luck and Zelensky if even bothered should say that any negotiations will be possible only when Russian forces go where their Black Sea Fleet flag ship went to.
PS. Yes, LOL, I am off from work today
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Catching up with news. Sorry for posting the wall of text, I know. But this one made me smile
Here is the briefing from the Department of State today:
What made me smirk is this part:
QUESTION: There’s a report from Russia that Ambassador Antonov is planning to visit the State Department tomorrow
to discuss visas for Foreign Minister Lavrov and the Russian delegation for general assemblies. Are there any plans to – for anyone to meet with him, and will you be issuing those visas? Are there any issue around issuing them?
MR PRICE: When it comes to the UN,
as the host country of the UN we have a special obligation to facilitate the travel of those taking part in UN activities. I don’t have any meetings with Russian officials, including the ambassador, to read out for tomorrow. But if we have anything to share tomorrow, we will.
So simply, Russians have a serious butthurt as none of those bastards is getting any Visa to enter the US. They would like to have a US visa issued to allow them to do their business in the US. But it seems all they might (if any) get is the technical Visa to allow to take part in UN meeting - but this is not said anyway, as the meeting is between country-members not individuals. It does not have to be this lying bastard to represent the Russia. Ball is in the court
QUESTION: Any comment on
UN gen-sec’s meeting tomorrow (António
Guterres: catcha) with President Zelenskyy and Erdoğan? I didn’t want to ask about it, but since this previous question was asked.
MR PRICE: So it’s our understanding that the meeting will take place tomorrow. Of course, there are a number of important issues that Secretary General Guterres, that President Zelenskyy, President Erdoğan can be in a position to discuss. The fact that the meeting will take place where it is
suggests that there will be a heavy focus on food security and the efforts that Turkey has undertaken to facilitate the free flow – or the freer flow – of grain out of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
We very much appreciate Turkey’s efforts, together with those of the UN secretary general, together with those of Ukraine to see to it that ships are once again sailing from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. At latest count, more than 20 ships laden with grain, laden with crops, laden with foodstuffs have set sail from Ukraine. The vast majority of those have made it through the inspection station and are now sailing to their ultimate destinations. That is unambiguously a good thing.
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I would really say that this negotiation has little to do with peace talks