After Putin and Trump, Zelenskyy to skip Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Turkey

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not attend the scheduled Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations in Istanbul, aligning with Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, who have also chosen to skip the talks. According to a presidential decree released on Thursday, Ukraine will instead send a delegation led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, accompanied by senior military and intelligence officials.

During a visit to Ankara alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelenskyy expressed dissatisfaction with the makeup of Russia’s delegation, accusing Moscow of lacking seriousness in the negotiations. “Russia does not feel it needs to end the war, which means there is not enough pressure political, economic or otherwise on the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy stated, urging stronger sanctions, per India Today.

Zelenskyy emphasized the need for high-level engagement, saying, “You want to meet? Let’s meet,” while noting the absence of a clear agenda and a senior Russian delegation. He remarked that both the U.S. and Turkey perceive Russia’s approach as dismissive, according to India Today.

Meanwhile, Trump confirmed he would not attend the Istanbul summit, despite earlier suggestions he might adjust his Middle East travel plans to participate. He insisted that no peace agreement would be reached without a direct meeting with Putin, stating, “No peace deal would materialize until Putin and I get together,” as cited by India Today. Putin, for his part, announced that Russia would be represented by an official delegation, though he would not attend in person.