Posted on 05/15/2025 5:05:58 AM PDT by marcusmaximus
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Turkey on Thursday to underscore his commitment to ending the war, as his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin stayed away, sending a junior delegation instead.
Zelensky, who is slated to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in capital Ankara, wasn’t expected to meet with the Russian negotiating team that separately arrived in Istanbul on Thursday morning.
But a meeting between lower-level Ukrainian negotiators and the Russians remains possible, perhaps as early as Thursday afternoon. No time for that encounter has been set so far. Senior U.S. negotiators are also scheduled to travel to Istanbul on Thursday evening and Friday.
The level of the Russian delegation appears to be that of “theater props,” Zelensky said as he disembarked from his presidential plane in Ankara. He said he will make “important decisions” on whether Ukraine will engage with the Russian negotiators after the summit with Erdogan. “We must understand what is the seniority of the Russian delegation and what mandate it has, and whether they are able to decide on anything. We all know who makes the decisions in Russia.”
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Tailors in Istanbul have a message for the Ukrainians pic.twitter.com/ze9CFHcAp5— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) May 15, 2025
Do they have those in 34 Short?
yes, in the childrens section :P
Meanwhile, in the real world in Turkey TODAY, NATO meets "informally" with NATO financial commitments being discussed:
"Rutte refused to confirm the numbers under consideration, but he acknowledged the importance of including infrastructure in the equation, 'for example to make sure that bridges, yes, are there for you and me to drive our cars but also if necessary to make sure that the bridge will hold a tank. So all these expenditures have to be taken into account.'Europe. Leading from behind...."But he didn't signal any progress on narrowing the numbers down after the meeting, which came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy waited, apparently in vain, in the Turkish capital Ankara for Russian President President Vladimir to hold face-to-face talks on ending their 3-year-old war.
"It's difficult to see how many members would reach a new 3.5% goal. Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain are not even spending 2% yet, although Spain does expect to reach that goal in 2025, a year past the deadline.
Source: NATO weighs a US demand to massively hike defense spending as some struggle to meet the current goal AP, 15 May 2025
This is why the sideshow is so-o-o important today. NATO members are not stepping up to meet their commitments.
🇷🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦 I have a bad feeling with Lindsey Graham at the Turkey negotiations. pic.twitter.com/IDJtvchHpI— Spetsnaℤ 007 🇷🇺 (@Alex_Oloyede2) May 15, 2025
He should talk. And Putin never said he would attend these peace negotiations.
NATO folks aplenty are there right now, meeting about their commitments to NATO.
While a non-NATO fellow is on the sidelines hollering, "it's all about ME!"
NATO weighs a US demand to massively hike defense spending as some struggle to meet the current goal AP via Yahoo, 14 May 2025Imagine that. European NATO members not meeting their goals? But, but, but.....
Erdogan is TALL.
Zelensky is SMALL.
We will see how that works out. Erdogan is an Islamist, dreaming of rebuilding the Ottoman Empire, becoming the Last Sultan.
Zelensky is pure corrupt and a fake. Puppet of the WEF and Globalist vermin.
Jokes about the height of the nwo tool/sex pervert are not classy. Imo, just stick to the facts.
It’s not difficult to read of very short men that were honorable in war or peace.
FYI: I’m 6’1” (was just shy of 6’2”, but the years have worn me down a bit)
Istanbul has descended into the Clown show we all thought it would.
———————-
Graham on record. “ In the unedited video, Graham first said, “It’s the best money we’ve ever spent,”he said, “And the Russians are dying.”
Why should Vlad show up? I am waiting for Boris Johnson, the Brit who scuttled the last Peace talks to show up…..
Meanwhile: “ Thunder⚡️ Frontline Breached: Mykhailivka & Malynivka Captured”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iINyfa1Nyk
….” The last Ukrainian “ shit show continues…..
Hush, stretch
Have heard that Erdogan is sick.. Circles around his eyes might be an indicator.
He has a son, if the vacancy happens, not sure the son is well know enough to actually get elected. But, the percentage of Islamists in Turkey now is pretty large.
Lots of unrest in Turkey, Economy is a disaster, huge inflation. The Kemalists were recently suppressed again, a new election might tilt the power toward them. Before Erdogan, the Kemalists has control since the end of WWI.
I saw him once -- from afar, lest you ask -- during a visit to Berlin so long ago. He looked that way then, circles under the eyes. In that time, the rumors were flying about his imminent demise. A cpuple of decades later....
The Turkish lira is at an all-time low, and Ekrem İmamoğlu's arrest, warranted or not for corruption, made for bad optics for the economy. You're right that there is a lot of unrest in Turkey. It's essentially city versus rural, with the rural leaning towards Islam more than the cosmopolitan.
It’s essentially city versus rural, with the rural leaning towards Islam more than the cosmopolitan.
Just as Berlin in 1933 was “cosmopolitan”.
Lindsey Graham would never want a war to end. In fact, he’s probably trying to find a way to get us more involved.
That clown has no business at such a meeting.
In fact and after mulling it over, yes. The corruption alongside the political intrigue of several competing factions was quite intense.
You left out the Kurds. They are basically denied running for office. (Yes, they are leftists)
Those Kurds in N. Syria ware not like those in Turkey or Iran.
Had a very good friend for 7 years in N. Syria, near Kobani. I followed ever action from the (1st) battle of Kobani until ISIS defeat in Derr Ezor when ISIS was largely defeated.
After we moved most of the our troops (artillery and air support), my best friend’s Twitter account went silent. It took me 3-1/2 years to find out what happened to her. She and 2 other female SDF (YPJ) leader were hit with a drone quite a ways from the Turkish border. All 3 died instantly.
I dug deep in regional news sources and found all the details and the services that were held to remember them.
I hold Kurds in high respect.
Erdogan calls the Kurds, mountain Jews. In a way he was right. 400,000 Kurdish Jews, long ago, were air lifted out of the mountain country in corner of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria.
Erdogan hates Jews. Openly condemns them by invoking Allah. (LMAO) He is a slow learner on that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.