Hopes for a breakthrough in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict were dampened Thursday as neither U.S. President Donald Trump nor Russian President Vladimir Putin attended what could be the first direct peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow in three years. Instead, Russia sent a delegation of senior officials, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine remains undecided about his participation.
According to Reuters, the high-stakes negotiations, taking place in Istanbul, were initially proposed by Putin over the weekend “without any preconditions.” However, late on Wednesday, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin himself would not attend, delegating authority to presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin — both of whom participated in early negotiations during the first weeks of the war in 2022.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha meets with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) at a location given as Antalya, Turkey, in this handout photo released May 15, 2025. Andrii Sybiha via X/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT
A Missed Opportunity for Dialogue?
U.S. President Donald Trump, currently on a diplomatic tour of the Middle East, also confirmed he would not attend, despite earlier suggestions he might. The absence of both world leaders significantly reduces expectations for a substantial diplomatic breakthrough in the war that has raged since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Zelenskiy, en route to Turkey late Wednesday, had challenged Putin to face him directly at the negotiation table, saying he would only participate if Putin did the same. “The answers to all questions about this war – why it started, why it continues – all these answers are in Moscow,” Zelenskiy said in a video address. “How the war will end depends on the world.”
Ceasefire and Concessions
The talks were expected to focus on a proposed 30-day ceasefire — a plan supported by both Trump and Zelenskiy. However, Putin has insisted that ceasefire terms must be negotiated before any truce is declared. The proposal for a large prisoner of war exchange is also reportedly on the agenda.
Trump, increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of diplomatic progress, is pushing for a settlement and has warned of potential secondary sanctions against Moscow, particularly targeting buyers of Russian oil. The U.S. delegation in Turkey is led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and includes senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with Rubio early Thursday to align diplomatic strategies, stating they had coordinated their positions “during this critical week.”
A Return to 2022?
The talks are taking place in the same city that hosted the last direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in March 2022, just weeks after Russian troops stormed across the border. At that time, the sides failed to finalize a draft deal that included a controversial clause: Ukraine would adopt permanent neutrality in exchange for security guarantees from the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and several other key countries.
While Putin’s weekend proposal referenced this earlier deal, Kyiv has since made clear that neutrality is a red line it will not cross.
International observers and analysts remain skeptical about the potential for success. With Russian forces currently occupying around 20% of Ukrainian territory and showing little sign of retreat, the Kremlin has thus far offered few, if any, meaningful concessions. Ukraine and its Western allies continue to view the invasion as an illegal, imperial-style land grab.
