The long-anticipated peace talks over the Ukraine conflict in Turkey on Thursday unfolded amid confusion and posturing, as Ukrainian and Russian delegations arrived in separate cities and left uncertain whether they would actually convene.
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend the talks, opting instead to send a delegation of mid-level officials to Istanbul. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, to meet with the Turkish president.
As of midday in Istanbul, neither side confirmed if Ukrainian and Russian representatives would meet. Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated that discussions were postponed until the afternoon at Turkey’s request. Zelensky remarked that the Russian delegation appeared “more theatrical than substantive.”
A Ukrainian official accompanying the country’s foreign minister in Turkey indicated that Ukraine would only decide whether to meet the Russian delegation after Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shared a meal on Thursday afternoon.
Overshadowing the talks was former U.S. President Donald Trump, who told journalists aboard Air Force One that “nothing will happen until Putin and I meet.” At the time, Trump was visiting Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and had previously suggested he might travel to Turkey on Friday “if something happens” during the peace talks. However, no further indications emerged of a last-minute summit.
“Right now, we have people negotiating,” Trump said during a business event in Qatar.
Underlying the high-stakes diplomacy are the starkly different approaches Moscow and Kyiv hold toward ending the conflict. Zelensky demands an immediate and unconditional ceasefire followed by peace negotiations. Putin, confident in Russia’s battlefield position, refuses to halt fighting without securing significant concessions from Kyiv and the West.
Putin appeared to signal interest in peace talks last weekend by proposing direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky raised the stakes by pledging to attend in person and challenging Putin to do the same. Yet when the Kremlin publicized its list of delegates Wednesday evening, Putin’s name was absent, and it remained unclear on Thursday if Zelensky or any Ukrainian official would meet the Russians in Istanbul.
“We need to understand the level of the Russian delegation and its mandate — whether it is even authorized to make independent decisions,” Zelensky said upon arriving in Ankara. “Because we all know who really makes the decisions in Russia.”
Russian state media reported the talks were to be held at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace, the same venue for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in March 2022. On Thursday morning, dozens of journalists gathered at the palace’s side entrance, causing confusion among passersby who had to find alternate routes to avoid the crowd.
The Kremlin framed the proposed meeting as a continuation of the inconclusive 2022 talks, where Russia demanded Ukraine commit to never joining NATO and limit the size of its armed forces.
Putin’s spokesperson Dmitri Peskov told reporters that Russian negotiators had been waiting for Ukrainian officials since Thursday morning. He added that Putin had no plans to visit Turkey in the coming days and no immediate arrangements were in place for a meeting with Trump.
Amid these developments, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed impatience for progress in the Ukraine-Russia peace discussions.
Rubio said the former U.S. administration was “open to virtually any mechanism” that could lead to lasting peace and remained committed to the process. He acknowledged the challenges, noting, “We all want it to happen, but it’s difficult. Hopefully, progress will come soon.”
How Did We Get Here?
The prospect of high-level ceasefire negotiations in Turkey marks the latest turn in a rapidly shifting diplomatic landscape.
Early this year, Trump assumed office with a promise to swiftly end the war. He initiated efforts on February 12 with phone calls first to Putin and then to Zelensky, without coordinating with European allies who have maintained unified support for Ukraine.
The Trump administration’s strategy involved pressuring Kyiv, blaming Ukraine for provoking Russia’s invasion.
“They should never have started it,” Trump said at one point, referring to Ukrainian leaders. “They could have reached an agreement.”
At the end of February, Zelensky visited Washington to meet Trump, but the encounter soured when Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office for insufficient gratitude toward U.S. support. Subsequently, Trump briefly suspended military aid and intelligence sharing.
Simultaneously, Trump sought to entice Moscow into a ceasefire by offering potential economic relief from sanctions.
Guided by British and French influence, Ukraine quickly moved to ease tensions with the U.S. president. Within two weeks, at a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Kyiv agreed to a crucial Trump administration demand: an immediate, unconditional 30-day ceasefire, dropping prior requirements for security guarantees before a truce.
Putin rejected this proposal but both sides agreed to a limited truce covering attacks on energy infrastructure—though accusations of violations came almost immediately from both.
Putin then proposed a three-day ceasefire to coincide with Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade commemorating Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II. Kyiv declined the offer.
Overall, during the early months of this year, as Trump attempted to mediate peace talks, hostilities were deadlier than the same period the previous year, according to United Nations data.
Following Putin’s Victory Day parade, leaders from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland traveled to Kyiv to issue an ultimatum: Russia must accept an immediate and unconditional ceasefire or face another round of severe economic sanctions.
Putin responded by proposing renewed direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine starting Thursday in Turkey.
Zelensky promptly challenged Putin to attend the talks in person.
Russia’s Demands
When Russian leaders discuss ending the war, they emphasize addressing what they call the “deep-rooted causes” of the conflict—a Kremlin euphemism that includes rejecting Ukraine’s status as a fully independent, sovereign nation aligned with the West.
Specifically, Moscow demands control over five Ukrainian territories, including large areas it has failed to seize despite years of fighting. Putin also insists Ukraine impose strict military limitations and refrain from joining NATO. Furthermore, Russia demands an immediate halt to all Western military aid to Ukraine before agreeing to a ceasefire.
Despite heavy casualties, Putin appears confident enough to make expansive demands, betting that his forces will eventually wear down the Ukrainians.
Ukraine’s Position
With Russia holding the initiative on the frontlines for over sixteen months, many Ukrainians doubt they can militarily expel Russian forces. Therefore, Kyiv seeks to freeze fighting in place while opposing any formal recognition of Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian lands, which it views as violating international law and setting a dangerous precedent.
Kyiv has also rejected any restrictions on its armed forces. European allies have pledged to continue strengthening Ukraine after any truce to prevent Russia from being tempted to resume hostilities.
Additional complex issues remain, including the return of thousands of children taken from their families to Russia.
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