ISTANBUL, May 15 (Alliance News): Hopes for renewed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine dimmed Thursday as Russian President Vladimir Putin opted not to attend high-level negotiations in Istanbul, instead dispatching a lower-tier delegation of aides and deputy ministers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who arrived in Ankara ready to meet Putin directly, called the Russian team “decorative” and questioned their authority to negotiate.
“No real dialogue is possible without serious decision-makers,” Zelenskiy said, adding that Ukraine would assess its next steps after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “I’m here. I think this is a clear message,” Zelenskiy stated pointedly, in reference to Putin’s absence.
The Kremlin confirmed its delegation — led by presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky — was present in Istanbul and ready for “serious work,” but accused Ukraine of “trying to put on a show.” The Turkish side, however, said no meeting had been officially scheduled, creating further confusion.
The absence of top Russian figures such as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Putin’s chief policy adviser has raised doubts about Moscow’s seriousness.
A Ukrainian source involved in the original March 2022 Istanbul talks noted Medinsky lacked decision-making authority even then. “The people sitting at the table are not the key players,” the source said.
Meanwhile, tensions remained high on the battlefield. Russia claimed fresh territorial gains in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, and its foreign ministry repeated earlier claims about Ukraine “getting smaller” without a peace deal.
Diplomatic sources noted that several global capitals remain engaged, including Washington, which has pressed both Kyiv and Moscow to find a path to peace.
President Donald Trump, currently touring the Middle East, has expressed growing frustration over the stalled negotiations and hinted he may visit Turkey if it proves “appropriate.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Trump’s position, stating that the U.S. is open to “any mechanism” for peace, but warned there was “no military solution” to the conflict.
Zelenskiy is pushing for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, while Putin insists on first laying out the terms of a broader peace framework.
Putin’s absence drew sharp criticism from European leaders. France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said there was “an empty chair where Putin should be,” while Estonia called the move “a slap in the face,” especially amid reports that a Russian fighter jet violated NATO airspace as the Estonian navy intercepted a sanctioned Russia-bound oil tanker.
With hundreds of thousands killed and wounded in the largest European conflict since World War II, international pressure is intensifying for a viable resolution — but Thursday’s developments suggest any meaningful breakthrough remains elusive.
