Putin's refusal to attend Istanbul talks would confirm Russia's rejection of peace: Ukraine's aide

The head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to attend planned negotiations in Türkiye would be “the last signal” that Russia is not interested in ending the war, speaking during the 2025 Copenhagen Democracy Summit.

“We confirmed that President Zelenskyy is ready and will be in Turkey,” said Andriy Yermak.

“Yesterday, there was a very strong and clear statement from US President Donald Trump that he expects the presence of both leaders in Turkey. He is also considering a visit himself.”

Yermak stressed that if Putin does not agree to attend, it would “be the final signal that Russia does not want to end this war, that Russia does not want and is not ready for any negotiations.”

He added that Putin's absence must prompt a firm international response, with new sanctions against Russia and expanded military aid to Ukraine.

The Kremlin has not yet said if Putin will take part in the high-level peace meeting in Istanbul.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia is continuing preparations for peace talks with Ukraine in the Turkish metropolis.

“The Russian side continues its preparations for the talks, which are set to take place in Istanbul on Thursday. That's all for now, no further comments,” Peskov said at a news conference in Moscow.

He did not disclose the names of the members of the Russian delegation, maintaining a sense of intrigue. But Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential aide Yury Ushakov are reportedly among potential leaders of the delegation.

The proposal for unconditional talks in Istanbul was made by Putin during a news conference Sunday in Moscow.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later confirmed Türkiye's readiness to host the meeting during a phone call with Putin.