Putin Will Not Attend Russia-Ukraine Talks in Istanbul

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the diplomatic mission in Istanbul, where negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are set to take place. The Russian delegation will instead be led by Vladimir Medinsky, president of the Russian Historical Society. Earlier, amidst intense diplomatic maneuvering in the hours leading up to the anticipated talks on Thursday (15.05.25) in Istanbul, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Moscow would send a representative other than high-level officials such as foreign ministers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented in his evening video address, “I am waiting to see who will arrive from Russia, and then I will decide what steps Ukraine should take.” He also accused Putin of continuing military actions against Ukraine rather than focusing on negotiations. These upcoming discussions mark the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv since early 2022 when both sides attempted to agree on a ceasefire during the initial weeks of the war.