Russia’s Putin Yet to Confirm Attendance at Peace Talks in Turkey

The Kremlin has declined to confirm whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend landmark peace negotiations in Turkey with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, amid mounting international calls to end the war now entering its third year, as per Al Jazeera.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that Moscow’s delegation would attend the talks scheduled for May 15 in Istanbul, but emphasized that the makeup of the delegation would only be disclosed once Putin gives the formal go-ahead.

“The Russian delegation will be waiting for the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul on May 15,” Peskov said. “No such instructions have been received yet” from President Putin regarding his personal participation.

The potential negotiations in Turkey—brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—would mark the first face-to-face discussions between Russian and Ukrainian leaders since 2022.

Zelensky has confirmed he will travel to Istanbul and intends to meet with Erdoğan either Wednesday or Thursday.

Zelensky has called on U.S. President Donald Trump, currently touring the Middle East, to join the talks. Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Qatar, Trump acknowledged the invitation, stating:

“If we could end the war, I’d be thinking about that,” while noting that Putin “would like me to be there.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is already scheduled to arrive in Istanbul on Friday, with Trump praising Rubio’s role as “very effective.”

Global leaders are also weighing in. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Wednesday he intends to urge Putin to attend the talks during a planned stop in Moscow following his visit to China.

The Brazilian and Chinese governments issued a joint statement on Tuesday backing direct negotiations as the “only way to end the conflict.” Ukraine’s foreign ministry has encouraged Brazil to use its diplomatic ties with Moscow to help bring both leaders to the table.

Meanwhile, Peskov condemned recent remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said France is open to deploying nuclear-armed aircraft in other European countries, as part of a broader security strategy for the continent.

France remains the European Union’s only nuclear-armed country.