RUSSIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be present at the much-awaited peace conferences on the Ukraine war slated to take place in Istanbul on Thursday, an official Kremlin announcement stated.
According to the latest BBC report, taking his place instead is presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who will be leading the Russian delegation. This pronouncement comes despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s unswerving request for Putin to meet face-to-face, in a move Zelensky outlined as indispensable to authentic progress toward the culmination of the skirmishes.
“I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take,” Zelensky specified in his Wednesday night speech. His declaration to be present centres on Putin’s attendance, a necessity that is now unmet.
Zelensky is ready for direct talks, but only with Putin
Zelensky will be in Ankara on Thursday to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and has shown willingness to join direct peace talks in Istanbul, dependent on Putin’s participation. His request followed Putin’s call for talks in Turkey “without pre-conditions,” a declaration that glinted optimism and confidence for straightforward and productive diplomatic engagement.
However, Zelensky was explicit that he would not engage in ritualistic discussions. “There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday,” he wrote in a social media post.
Trump and the U.S. peace effort
U.S. President Donald Trump, who implied that he would be attending if Putin did, has also chosen not to go. Speaking from Qatar, Trump said to reporters, “If we could end the war, I’d be thinking about that.” However, he eventually confirmed he would not be present.
The United States will be represented by a top-echelon delegation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Turkey on Wednesday and will be present at a NATO foreign ministers’ consultation before going to Istanbul. He met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who stressed Ukraine’s backing for American-led peace initiatives and advised Russia to act similarly with Kyiv’s positive attitude.
Hope for peace meets geopolitical realities
The new push for dialogues follows an appeal from influential European honchos for a 30-day truce, delivered during a high-level meeting in Kyiv. Putin’s suggestion for direct negotiation raised vigilant confidence, but his nonattendance at the Istanbul talks indicates an unwillingness to move past tactful political gesturing.
Notwithstanding the lack of top-echelon Russian and American presence, onlookers say the consultations could still lead to upcoming dialogues. Trump’s emissary, Steve Witkoff, has already met with Putin in Moscow, expressing that the US president remains assertive about his interest in mediating an armistice. “A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!” Trump posted after Putin’s offer.
Until now, with continued fighting in eastern Ukraine and with no secure and categorical assurances from Russia’s top leadership, the road to peace is still unclear.