Russian President Vladimir Putin is notably absent from the Kremlin’s official list of attendees for Ukraine peace talks set to take place in Istanbul on Thursday, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation for a face-to-face meeting. Instead, Russia will be represented by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, according to a Kremlin statement.
Zelensky, who has confirmed his presence in Turkey, said he would only attend direct talks in Istanbul if Putin also participated, emphasizing his desire to meet the Russian leader personally to push forward negotiations. “I’m waiting to see who will come from Russia,” he said in a video address Wednesday, “and then I’ll decide what steps Ukraine should take.”
US President Donald Trump will also not be attending the talks, despite previously suggesting he might join if Putin did. A high-level US delegation, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is expected to attend, with Rubio arriving in Turkey on Wednesday to prepare for meetings with NATO foreign ministers and European officials.
The peace talks are scheduled to begin at 10:00 local time (08:00 BST) at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace and will be closed to the media, Russian outlet TASS reported.
While Zelensky will be meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, his attendance at the main talks remains contingent on Putin’s presence.
The last direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia were held in Istanbul in March 2022, shortly after the full-scale invasion began. Fighting has continued ever since, with Russian forces making gradual advances in eastern Ukraine.
On Sunday, Putin called for direct, precondition-free talks with Ukraine in Istanbul. Zelensky responded by confirming his readiness to attend and urging Putin to do the same. Trump also weighed in, supporting the idea of a ceasefire and expressing willingness to participate if it could help end the war. He has previously spoken with Putin by phone and sent an envoy to Moscow as part of informal efforts to mediate.
