The long-awaited peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are opening amid confusion, fueled by the conspicuous absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who instead sent a second-tier delegation to Istanbul, Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, meanwhile, traveled in person to Ankara, where he met with the Turkish president. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, underlining its commitment to a credible diplomatic process.
Upon his arrival, Zelenskiy criticized the composition of the Russian delegation, describing it as "decorative" because it lacked key figures such as Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, or the Kremlin's top foreign policy adviser. The Ukrainian president said he would make a decision on the next steps after his talks with Erdogan, while questioning the Russian delegation's ability to negotiate seriously.
The Kremlin, for its part, claims that its delegation, including adviser Vladimir Medinsky, a deputy defense minister, a deputy foreign minister, and the head of military intelligence, is "ready to work seriously." However, Ukrainian sources who participated in the previous talks in 2022 believe that Medinsky does not have a sufficient mandate to make major decisions.
The talks, initially scheduled for the afternoon at Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, had still not begun as of Thursday morning, with Turkey indicating that no meeting was officially scheduled. This uncertainty adds to the growing pressure from the US president. Donald Trump, on a tour of the Gulf, who said he could visit Turkey on Friday "if appropriate," while calling for a quick end to what he calls a "stupid war."
Zelenskiy is calling for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, while Russia insists on first negotiating the terms of any truce. Moscow continues to demand that Kyiv abandon its NATO membership ambitions, declare itself a neutral country, and cede the territories currently occupied by the Russian military—conditions Ukraine categorically rejects.
Putin's absence was widely criticized by Western countries. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot welcomed Zelenskiy's presence as an act of good faith, while denouncing the "empty chair" left by the Russian president. Estonia also reacted strongly, calling the sending of a low-level delegation a "slap in the face," as tensions between Moscow and NATO escalated further this week.
