Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the Russian delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky as a mere “theatrical,” claiming it lacked seriousness and authenticity.

He said Ukraine will announce its decision on whether to participate in talks with Russia only after his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—a discussion he noted could take several hours.

He made this statement upon arriving in Ankara. “Let’s see if they have a mandate to make decisions,” Zelensky noted.

He also presented the composition of the Ukrainian delegation for the negotiations in Turkey. “Our delegation has been formed at the highest level: representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President’s Office, the military, and all intelligence structures — to make decisions that will bring us closer to a just peace.”

In response to Zelensky’s statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented on his words about the “theatrical level” of the Russian delegation: “A clown and a failure speaks about distinguished individuals,” she stated