Putin Bows Out: Kremlin Confirms No Show at Istanbul Peace Talk

 

    The Kremlin announced late Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend proposed peace talks in Istanbul with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rejecting Kyiv’s push for direct negotiations to end the war. Moscow instead named Vladimir Medinsky, a senior aide to Putin and former culture minister, to lead its delegation.

    The decision dashes hopes for a high-level meeting after Zelenskyy publicly challenged Putin to meet face-to-face in Turkey, stating he would travel “at a moment’s notice” if the Russian leader agreed. The talks, set for Thursday, will proceed without Putin or former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had also declined to attend unless Putin participated.

Delegation Details and Stumbling Blocks

    Medinsky, who led Russia’s unsuccessful 2022 negotiations with Ukraine, will be joined by Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, and military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov. Analysts suggest Moscow aims to revive prior demands, including restrictions on Ukraine’s military and Western-backed reconstruction—terms Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

    Ukraine is expected to propose a 30-day ceasefire as a starting point, though Russia has historically opposed prolonged pauses, arguing they allow Ukrainian forces to regroup.

International Reactions and Diplomacy

    Zelenskyy arrived in Ankara on Wednesday to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a key mediator. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met with U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham in Turkey to coordinate peace efforts. Kuleba emphasized that Moscow’s refusal to engage constructively “comes at a cost.”

    Brazil and China reiterated calls for direct talks, with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pledging to urge Putin to negotiate during a planned Moscow visit. “It costs me nothing to say: ‘Hey, comrade Putin, go to Istanbul and negotiate, dammit,’” Lula stated in Beijing.

Escalating Stakes and Western Unity

    European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, warned against accepting a “dictated peace” favoring Russia. Scholz stressed the importance of Western unity, cautioning against divisions amid rising battlefield tensions.

    The talks unfold as Russia makes incremental gains in eastern Ukraine, with both sides intensifying rhetoric. Putin and Zelenskyy last met in 2019, before the war, and Moscow continues to dismiss Zelenskyy’s legitimacy.

    As diplomacy stalls, the focus shifts to whether international pressure can sway Moscow’s stance—or if the conflict will deepen further.