Istanbul, Turkey – Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will not attend the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine taking place today in Istanbul, according to official sources. Their absence comes despite recent public calls, especially from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, urging for a face-to-face meeting with Putin to help end the ongoing war.
A Kremlin statement confirmed that the Russian delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a senior adviser to President Putin, and not the president himself. While Putin had recently expressed willingness for “direct talks,” he is not included in the official delegation list shared by Moscow.
President Zelensky, who has committed to attending the peace talks, previously stated he was willing to meet Putin personally “if he agrees,” emphasizing that he would do “whatever it takes” to secure a genuine ceasefire and long-term peace.
On the other hand, President Donald Trump—who had initially indicated that he might attend if Putin were present—will also not participate, as confirmed by international media reports. His absence, however, does not mark a withdrawal of U.S. involvement, with American diplomats reportedly continuing backchannel discussions to support ceasefire efforts.
Zelensky is also expected to make an official visit to Ankara later today to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is playing a key role as a host and mediator in the current round of talks.
This round of negotiations is seen as a critical opportunity to restart peace efforts between the two warring nations, whose last direct dialogue dates back to 2022, during the early phases of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
While hopes remain cautious, the absence of both Putin and Trump raises questions about how far-reaching or impactful today’s talks may be. However, the symbolic weight of convening in Istanbul under Erdoğan’s mediation continues to be viewed by analysts as a potential turning point—if serious commitments follow.
- Putin recently called for “real dialogue” and offered to resume peace talks “without preconditions.”
- The EU and U.S. have jointly called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire to allow for diplomatic progress.
- Ongoing hostilities have led to mutual accusations of ceasefire violations, with both sides reporting hundreds of breaches.
- Turkey previously hosted multiple rounds of talks during 2022 before negotiations collapsed amid intensified conflict.
