Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the upcoming Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Turkey, instead appointing a high-level delegation to represent Moscow in the renewed peace efforts set to begin today, according to Russian state news agency TASS.
Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky will lead the Russian delegation, joined by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, and Igor Kostyukov, chief of the General Staff’s Main Directorate. The delegation will also be supported by a team of experts from various branches of the Russian government, including representatives from the military, foreign ministry, and humanitarian policy departments.
The Russian delegation is scheduled to arrive in Istanbul for the talks, which will cover both technical and political issues. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirmed the meeting will take place on Thursday, as Russia seeks to restart formal discussions with Ukraine following Putin’s open invitation to resume negotiations issued on May 11.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has said Kyiv is monitoring Moscow’s actions closely before committing to any decisions. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskyy expressed skepticism over Russia’s intent, calling their public messaging “unconvincing.”
“Today we held several meetings with the team regarding the format in Turkiye. I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take,” Zelenskyy wrote. “So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing.”
He also revealed that former U.S. President Donald Trump is considering attending the talks, stating that such a move “could become the strongest argument” in pushing the dialogue forward.
“This week really may change a lot — but only may. Everything is being decided right now,” Zelenskyy added.
In his message, the Ukrainian leader also reiterated that Russia is prolonging the war and called for increased international pressure on Moscow to end the violence. “I want to thank every country, every leader who is now putting pressure on Russia so that the shelling finally stops, so that meaningful negotiations can take place at a level where real decisions can be made.”
The resumption of talks in Istanbul marks a potentially pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict, though both sides appear cautious, and significant breakthroughs remain uncertain.
