Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will only attend the planned peace talks in Turkey this week if Russian President Vladimir Putin is also present.
Zelensky made the remark ahead of a possible meeting aimed at ending the ongoing war, stating, “Everything in Russia depends on Putin. That’s why I said I’ll go to Turkey on Thursday, but only if he shows up. The only real path to ending this war is direct talks with him.”
The talks, scheduled to take place in Istanbul, follow a ceasefire ultimatum issued by Ukraine’s European allies and backed by the United States. While Putin initially proposed the meeting, the Kremlin has not yet confirmed whether he will attend.
Zelensky’s decision comes after encouragement from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for direct negotiations. Trump has also said he’s open to flying to Turkey if he believes his presence would help move the talks forward. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to attend.
The Kremlin remains non-committal. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Putin’s decision will be announced “in due course.” Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov confirmed that preparations for the summit are underway.
The international community has ramped up pressure on Moscow to agree to a proposed 30-day ceasefire. French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that failure to comply could trigger new sanctions, including restrictions on Russia’s access to financial services.
Still, scepticism surrounds the talks. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russian officials may be preparing for Putin to skip the meeting, with some aides calling the summit “pure spectacle.” Two European diplomatic sources told CNN they expect little from the event and doubt Putin will attend.
Zelensky said he personally invited President Trump, believing his presence could increase pressure on the Kremlin. “It would give additional impulse for Putin to fly in,” he noted.
Regardless of Trump’s final decision, senior U.S. officials—including envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg and foreign affairs adviser Steve Witkoff—are expected to attend the summit to observe the proceedings.
Meanwhile, the front lines in eastern Ukraine remain largely static. Russian forces continue to launch drone and missile attacks, but no major territorial shifts have occurred in recent months. The ISW also noted Russia’s deployment of an FSB ceremonial unit to the front—a move likely intended to signal impending action.
Zelensky warned that if Russia rejects the ceasefire proposal by Thursday, he expects strong coordinated sanctions from both the U.S. and Europe.
If both leaders attend, the summit would mark the first direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
