Zelensky travels to Turkey for peace negotiations, but Putin fails to attend

Ukraine-Russia Tensions Continue: No Putin-Zelensky Meeting in Istanbul

In a surprising turn of events, it seems Russian President Vladimir Putin won't be attending the peace talks in Istanbul with his counterpart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But here's the twist—neither leader will represent their countries in person, choosing to send lower-level delegations instead[1][2].

This development marks the first direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia since 2022, and it was hoped these talks would help resolve ongoing tensions. However, the absence of both leaders points to a complex, troubled dynamic between the two nations.

Insiders close to the Kremlin state that Putin never intended to attend a one-on-one meeting with Zelensky. Putin views Zelensky as someone he doesn't see as an equal and has stated that he will only meet Zelensky if there's a public capitulation. Despite this stance, the Kremlin couldn't reject the offer outright due to international pressure, including calls from ex-US President Donald Trump for interaction between the two leaders. Consequently, Moscow kept Putin's travel intentions under wraps until the last minute[3].

Instead, the Russian delegation will be headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, signifying Moscow's hesitance to negotiate directly with Zelensky for now[3]. Meanwhile, the talks at the lower diplomatic levels are still ongoing but lacking full leadership engagement from both sides.

(Enrichment Data: The latest updates from May 2025 indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided not to attend the peace talks in Istanbul with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Kremlin confirmed that Putin currently has no plans to travel to Istanbul for these negotiations[1][2]. These Istanbul talks mark the first direct Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations since 2022, but both Putin and Zelensky will skip the event. Instead, lower-level delegations will represent their respective countries[1][2]. Sources close to the Kremlin and Russian Foreign Ministry reveal that Putin never intended to accept Zelensky’s offer for a one-on-one meeting. Putin reportedly does not see Zelensky as his equal and is only willing to meet him if Zelensky makes a "public capitulation." Despite this stance, the Kremlin could not outright refuse due to external pressure, including calls from former U.S. President Donald Trump for engagement between the two leaders. This dynamic contributed to Moscow keeping Putin’s travel intentions secret until the last moment[3].)

The general-news reveals that the government of Russia has chosen to send a lower-level delegation, headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, to the Istanbul peace talks, rather than President Vladimir Putin himself.
Amidst ongoing tensions, the absence of both Putin and Zelensky from the Istanbul arts summit has raised concerns about the complex, troubled dynamic between Ukraine and Russia.
The business sector and travel industry have been monitoring the Istanbul negotiations closely, as the resolution of Ukraine-Russia tensions could have significant economic implications.
The decision by President Putin to skip the Istanbul meeting with Zelensky, despite international pressure and calls for diplomacy, underscores the political complications that surround these negotiations.