Russian President Vladimir Putin is not scheduled to attend peace talks on the war in Ukraine set to take place in Istanbul on Thursday, despite repeated calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a direct meeting.
According to a Kremlin statement, Russia’s delegation will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Zelensky has expressed a strong willingness to meet Putin in person, stating that he would do everything possible to ensure face-to-face negotiations.
However, he has made his participation in direct talks contingent on Putin’s attendance, casting doubt on whether substantive discussions will take place.
Meanwhile, media reports indicate that U.S. President Donald Trump will also be absent from the talks, despite earlier suggestions that he might attend if Putin did.
Trump, currently in Qatar, told reporters that while Putin would prefer his presence, he remained uncertain about his own participation.
Zelensky is scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Thursday. In his nightly video address on Wednesday, he underscored Ukraine’s cautious approach, stating, "I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing."
The prospect of direct negotiations comes after Putin called for unconditional peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. His proposal followed Western leaders’ recent call for a 30-day ceasefire after a summit in Kyiv.
Trump has advocated for Ukraine’s acceptance of Putin’s offer, declaring on social media, "A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!"
The U.S. is expected to send a high-level delegation to the talks, including top diplomat Marco Rubio, who arrived in Turkey on Wednesday for discussions with NATO foreign ministers.
Rubio will travel to Istanbul on Friday to join European counterparts in talks on Ukraine’s ongoing conflict.
Since his return to the White House, Trump has made efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, including a February phone call with Putin and a diplomatic mission by his envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow. Trump has previously claimed that the two countries were “very close to a deal.”
As the talks approach, uncertainty remains over Putin’s potential involvement and the prospects for a breakthrough in negotiations.
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