Putin and Trump are missing: Zelenskyj's desperate appeal in Istanbul!

Putin and Trump are missing: Zelenskyj's desperate appeal in Istanbul!

On May 15, 2025, it will become clear that hopes for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey will be dashed. Vladimir Putin has announced that he will not take part in the negotiations scheduled to take place in Istanbul. In addition, US President Donald Trump has also decided to stay away from the peace negotiations. These cancellations again raise questions about the future negotiation situation in the Ukraine conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj had previously repeatedly invited the Russian president to the talks. He emphasized that this was “Putin's war” and that Putin also had to take part in the negotiations. Despite the challenges, Zelensky is willing to personally travel to Istanbul and negotiate with Putin. He expressed the hope that Trump would not withdraw his announced participation if Putin reconsidered his cancellation.

The role of delegations

The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, presidential adviser, and Alexander Fomin, deputy defense minister. Mikhail Galuzin, the deputy foreign minister, and Igor Kostyukov, director of Russia's foreign intelligence service, are also part of the team. These leaders had already taken part in the last direct talks after Russia's invasion in 2022.

However, observers have doubts about Russia's willingness to negotiate. Zelensky criticized that Russia often "hides" when things get serious and expressed concerns that the talks would have little success without Putin's participation. In addition, Putin countered calls for a ceasefire with a proposal to resume direct talks between Moscow and Kiev, further complicating the negotiation dynamics.

The international context

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also tried in vain to persuade Putin to take part in the talks. Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov confirmed the presence of a Russian delegation in Istanbul, but did not provide any details about the negotiators. Ukraine's preparations are being carried out in close coordination with international partners in order to maximize the scope for negotiations.

The talks in Turkey come in a long line of failed diplomatic efforts over the Ukraine conflict, which has been ongoing since 2022. Previous negotiations at the start of the Russian offensive also failed to produce results. In view of these sobering developments, the question remains as to how the peace negotiations can continue.

Overall, the lack of key influencers leads to stagnation in efforts to end the conflict. The pressure on international actors to find a solution is growing as the people of Ukraine continue to suffer the consequences of the war.

For further information on the current developments in the negotiations you can read the articles on Time and Daily Mirror read.