Putin not on Kremlin checklist of officers attending Ukraine peace talks in Turkey

[ad_1] Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be among the many names listed by the Kremlin as as a result of attend peace talks on the conflict in Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday, regardless of calls from Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky for him to attend.

Russia's delegation will as a substitute be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, in response to the Kremlin assertion.

Zelensky had beforehand mentioned he would attend the talks and meet Putin in particular person if the Russian president agreed, and mentioned he would do all the things he may to make sure the face-to-face assembly befell.

The Ukrainian president shall be within the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday to fulfill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Putin and Zelensky haven't met in particular person since December 2019. Russia and Ukraine final held direct negotiations in March 2022 in Istanbul, shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour.

Preventing has raged in Ukraine since then. Russian forces have slowly expanded the quantity of territory they management over the previous yr, principally within the east of Ukraine.

Putin had initially known as for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey's largest metropolis "with out pre-conditions", earlier than Zelensky introduced that he would go in particular person and anticipated the Russian president to journey as properly.

Putin's suggestion of direct talks in Istanbul adopted Western powers' name for a 30-day ceasefire, after European leaders met in Kyiv on Saturday.

After Trump known as for Ukraine to just accept the provide on Sunday, Zelensky mentioned he would journey there himself.

"There is no such thing as a level in prolonging the killings. And I shall be ready for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally," Zelensky wrote in a social media submit.

Earlier on Wednesday, Donald Trump floated the potential for becoming a member of the assembly himself if Putin did.

The US president, who's at the moment in Qatar, advised reporters he didn't know if his Russian counterpart would attend "if I am not there".

"I do know he would love me to be there, and that is a risk. If we may finish the conflict, I would be fascinated by that," Trump mentioned.

The US is predicted to ship a high-level delegation to the talks.

The nation's high diplomat, Marco Rubio, arrived in Turkey on Wednesday night, the place he'll meet Nato international ministers on Thursday.

He plans to journey onwards to Istanbul on Friday, the place the State Division says he'll attend talks with European counterparts to debate the conflict in Ukraine.

Arriving at his resort in Antalya, Rubio didn't reply when the BBC requested him if Putin can be coming to Turkey.

Since returning to the White Home, President Trump has sought to dealer a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

He ended a years-long Western boycott of Russia's chief by talking to Putin over the cellphone in February, and his envoy Steve Witkoff has met Vladimir Putin for talks in Moscow.