Ukraine warned on Tuesday that if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to attend upcoming talks in Turkey, it should be seen as a clear signal that the Kremlin has no intention of ending the war. In that case, Kyiv called on the West to respond with increased military support.
The summit, scheduled for Thursday in Istanbul, would mark the first direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials since the early months of the 2022 invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Putin to participate personally in the negotiations, which, according to Kyiv, were initially proposed by the Russian leader himself. However, Moscow has avoided responding to the invitation for a second consecutive day.
“If Putin doesn’t travel to Turkey, it will be the ultimate proof that Russia does not want to end this war and is not ready to negotiate,” said Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, in a statement released by the Ukrainian presidency.
U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in, encouraging both leaders to attend the talks and stating he was considering joining in person. “I’m thinking about flying there. It could happen if I believe it would be helpful,” he told reporters on Monday before departing for a trip to the Middle East.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to confirm who would represent Russia in Istanbul. “The Russian side continues to prepare for Thursday’s talks. That’s all we can say at this time,” he said. When asked about the composition of the Russian delegation, he replied: “No… when the president deems it necessary, it will be announced.”
Putin proposed the meeting over the weekend, in what was seen as a diplomatic counteroffer after Ukraine and several European countries — including France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom — called on Moscow to agree to a total and unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday.
Since the war began in February 2022, tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced. Russian forces now control roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed in 2014.
The Kremlin has not directly responded to the ceasefire proposal but has criticized what it described as European “ultimatums,” signaling a likely rejection.
On Tuesday, Kyiv renewed its appeal to Western allies: if Putin refuses to negotiate, there must be a firm response. “Russia must face new sanctions, and Ukraine must receive increased military support,” the Ukrainian presidency said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has offered to host the talks and urged both sides to seize what he called a “window of opportunity” to pursue a peace deal.
Putin has stated that any talks must address the “root causes” of the conflict — often a reference to Russia’s claims that it is fighting to “denazify” Ukraine, protect Russian-speaking communities in the east, and resist NATO’s expansion. Kyiv and the West have dismissed these justifications as pretexts for an imperial-style land grab.
Russian and Ukrainian delegations last met in Istanbul in March 2022 in a failed attempt to end the war. Since then, contact between the two sides has been limited to humanitarian issues such as prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of fallen soldiers’ bodies.
