Putin, Trump to skip Ukraine peace talks despite Russian president's proposal

Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump will not attend the Ukraine peace talks scheduled for Thursday in Istanbul, despite Putin's own proposal for direct negotiations with Kyiv “without any preconditions.”

On Sunday, Putin suggested face-to-face talks with Ukraine — potentially the first such meeting in three years. However, on Wednesday evening, the Kremlin announced that it would instead send a delegation led by presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin.

Following the Kremlin’s statement, a U.S. official confirmed that Trump would not attend the talks, just days after indicating he was considering the trip.

While Putin had never officially confirmed his personal attendance, the absence of both the Russian and U.S. leaders significantly dampens expectations for a major breakthrough in the war Russia launched in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had earlier challenged Putin to attend the summit “if he’s not afraid,” is en route to Turkey, according to a Ukrainian official. Zelensky previously stated he would only participate if Putin were present.

Trump has advocated for a 30-day ceasefire to halt what has become Europe’s largest land war since World War II. A Russian lawmaker also suggested that discussions could include a large-scale prisoner exchange.

Zelensky supports the idea of an immediate 30-day ceasefire, while Putin has said he prefers to begin negotiations in which the terms of a ceasefire can be discussed.