According to the reports on Thursday (15 May), a Russian delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky arrived in Istanbul for renewed peace talks with Ukraine, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian delegation including President Volodymyr Zelensky was on its way to Ankara, where Zelensky planned to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Notably absent from the Russian delegation was President Vladimir Putin, prompting criticism from Western officials who questioned the Kremlin’s seriousness about the negotiations.
Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, the situation remains tense. Zelensky has previously challenged Putin to meet in person in Türkiye to discuss ending the war, now entering its fourth year. However, Ukrainian officials stated that Zelensky would only negotiate directly with Putin, and no official confirmation was given on whether a meeting between the two leaders would occur. The Kremlin described the talks as a “restart” of peace efforts that had failed in 2022, but Ukraine and its allies remain skeptical of Russia’s intentions, especially as Moscow rejected a proposed 30-day ceasefire.
Putin held a preparatory meeting with top Russian officials, including the defense and security leadership, ahead of the talks. However, the Russian stance was to pursue direct dialogue over a ceasefire, which Kyiv sees as insufficient and more of an ultimatum than a genuine peace proposal. The United States, under Donald Trump’s campaign-led diplomatic push, has signaled impatience with the lack of progress and hinted at withdrawing support if talks do not advance meaningfully. Trump, reacting to Putin’s absence, suggested he never expected the Russian president to attend without his own presence at the talks.
Western leaders at a NATO meeting in Antalya voiced support for Ukraine and frustration with Moscow. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with senior US and European officials, who reiterated calls for a ceasefire and warned of further sanctions on Russia. NATO allies, including France and Finland, emphasized the symbolic and strategic failure of Putin’s absence, describing the empty chair at the negotiation table as a sign of Russia’s unwillingness to commit to a peaceful resolution. The outcome of these meetings remains uncertain, hinging on potential developments following Zelensky’s talks with Erdoğan.
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