Kremlin rules out Putin's attendance at Turkey peace talks

This was announced by Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, reports RIA Novosti.

“No,” he replied during a CNN broadcast when asked if there was a chance Putin would come to Istanbul.

The previous evening, the Kremlin announced that Putin had approved the delegation for the talks, which included Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the General Staff’s Main Directorate Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.

Putin himself was not on the list.

Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Istanbul

In a nighttime address on May 11, Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed he was ready for direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey next week, but he dismissed the idea of a 30-day truce. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would keep working with both sides and predicted that the coming week would be “great.”

On May 12, the German government announced that if Russia did not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine by the end of the day, European partners would begin preparations for new sanctions. In contrast, the Kremlin stated that “the language of ultimatums is unacceptable for Russia.”

Advisor to the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, Mykhailo Podolyak, said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not meet with any Russian representative other than Vladimir Putin in Turkey on May 15. Later, Zelenskyy himself confirmed his personal visit to Turkey for a meeting with Putin.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the talks in Istanbul with Kyiv should recognize the "realities on the ground," including Russia’s incorporation of Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that if his meeting with the Russian leader takes place on May 15 in Turkey, the main topics of discussion will be a complete ceasefire and a full exchange of prisoners of war.

Early Thursday morning, May 15, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrived on a visit to Ankara, Turkey.