Vladimir Putin Will Not Join Ukrainian Peace Talks In Turkey

Topline

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend peace talks in Ukraine scheduled to take place in Turkey on Thursday, according to an announcement from the Kremlin, while President Donald Trump, who said he would attend if Putin did, will also not show up for negotiations.

Key Facts

Putin was not named on the Russian delegation list for the peace talks, which said presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky would head the delegation.

Trump previously said he would join the negotiations in Turkey’s capital of Ankara if Putin attended, though senior U.S. officials will still attend without him, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Bloomberg and the Journal have characterized members of Russia’s delegation as “low-level” and “junior” officials, with the latter outlet reporting the selection of low-ranking members “foreclosed the possibility of any breakthrough,” citing Western diplomats.

Putin will not attend despite offering the peace talks to Ukraine this week, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Putin would need to accept a 30-day ceasefire before any talks began.

Key Background

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Peace talks were also held that year, though negotiations were unsuccessful. Trump, who in part campaigned on a goal of brokering peace between the warring nations, has had a choppy relationship with Zelenskyy and said last month the U.S. could walk away from negotiations if progress is not made. Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s European allies have pushed for a 30-day ceasefire, though Russia has not definitively agreed to a temporary break in the conflict as it looks to claim control over the Ukrainian regions it has gained throughout the war.

Further Reading

Refusing to Meet Zelensky, Putin Sends Junior Team for Talks With Ukraine (WSJ)

Putin Names Low-Level Officials for Talks With Ukraine in Turkey (Bloomberg)