Russian President Vladimir Putin will skip a crucial conference in Turkey that is focused on trying to resolve the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has lasted for three years.
While he suggested direct talks in Istanbul, the Kremlin’s list announced on Wednesday did not include his name among the Russian officials attending the negotiations.
Ukrainian President Voldimar Zelensky, who hasn’t met with Putin face-to-face since 2019, is set to attend the meeting scheduled for Thursday.
He will be accompanied by a senior US delegation, which will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Meanwhile, President Trump, currently visiting the Middle East, is not expected to join the discussions, despite earlier suggestions that he might.
The Kremlin stated that the Russian delegation will be headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Putin.
Putin initially proposed that Ukraine and Russia meet in Istanbul without any previous conditions on Sunday.
Trump encouraged Zelensky to consider involving Putin shortly after the suggestion was made. He tweeted, “Ukraine should agree to this right away. At least they can find out if a deal is possible, and if not, European leaders and the US will know how to proceed!”
He further urged, “I recommend meeting now!!!”
On that same day, Zelensky expressed his willingness to meet Putin in Turkey on Thursday, in person.
Trump has voiced optimism about the conference, saying, “I think today, tomorrow, and perhaps Friday, frankly, there was pretty good news,” while speaking in Qatar on Wednesday.
He added that if a peace agreement is not reached, secondary sanctions could potentially be imposed on Russia, referencing his past actions against Iran as a precedent.
