The first direct peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in over three years were expected to take place Thursday in Istanbul, but the high-stakes talks have been pushed back amid delays, diplomatic posturing, and uncertainty surrounding the participation of Ukraine’s top representatives.
According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the Turkish side requested that talks originally set for 10:00 a.m. local time be rescheduled to later in the day. The Russian delegation, already in place in Istanbul, includes Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin, and military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov. Medinsky also headed Russia’s delegation during the 2022 Istanbul negotiations.
Ukraine, however, appears less prepared. President Vladimir Zelensky arrived in Ankara and has reportedly delayed sending his delegation to Istanbul pending talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to The Guardian, key Ukrainian negotiators remain in Ankara, and a final decision on their participation will be made after Erdogan and Zelensky meet.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not personally attend the talks, dismissing speculation of a surprise appearance. Nonetheless, Putin led a high-level strategy meeting in Moscow Wednesday night that included Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, and several top military and security chiefs.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has urged both sides to embrace negotiations, hinted he may travel to Türkiye “on Friday” if meaningful progress is achieved. Trump’s backing of the talks played a key role in nudging Zelensky to consider participation, despite Ukraine’s prior refusal to negotiate directly with Moscow.
Zelensky stirred controversy earlier in the week by declaring that a 2022 Ukrainian law banning negotiations with Russia does not apply to him personally. While the decree bars talks while Putin remains in office, Zelensky argued that only he has the authority to negotiate matters of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He has, however, continued to insist on a full 30-day ceasefire before any direct talks can proceed—a condition Moscow has repeatedly rejected as a tactical ploy to buy Ukraine time to regroup.
Reports indicate that UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell is in Türkiye to advise the Ukrainian side. The UK government, along with other European powers, has taken a cautious stance, reportedly advising Zelensky not to alienate Trump while still trying to pressure Washington into taking a harder line against Moscow.
Meanwhile, U.S. and Russian sources have confirmed that informal, high-level discussions are taking place behind closed doors. The Russian delegation has signaled readiness for “serious work,” while analysts caution that the groundwork for a real breakthrough remains fragile.
With symbolic weight and international attention focused on Istanbul, the political theater is unfolding with many unanswered questions: Will Zelensky attend? Will Moscow accept ceasefire demands? Will Trump insert himself more directly into the process?
For now, the talks remain postponed but not canceled, a situation reflecting the broader volatility of a war that has resisted every prior attempt at resolution.