The first direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in over three years were marred by absence and acrimony on Thursday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy both declined to attend the negotiations in Istanbul. Their no-shows have cast serious doubt over the possibility of any breakthrough in a war that has devastated Ukraine and destabilized Europe.

The talks — hosted by Turkey — were expected to be a pivotal moment in diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict, but they quickly descended into a symbolic standoff. Putin, despite proposing the talks last week, sent a delegation led by presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky instead of attending in person. In response, Zelensky appointed his defense minister, Rustem Umerov, to head the Ukrainian delegation, but ultimately chose not to travel to Istanbul himself.

“A Decorative Lineup”

Speaking from Ankara after meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, Zelensky blasted Putin’s decision to avoid a direct meeting, calling the Russian delegation a “decorative lineup” and accusing Moscow of showing “personal disrespect” — not only to him but to Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump as well.

“We can’t be running around the world looking for Putin,” Zelensky told reporters, making clear he would not participate in talks that lacked high-level engagement from Moscow. “No meeting time, no agenda, no high-level delegation – this is personal disrespect.”

A presidential decree confirmed that Ukraine’s delegation would include senior officials from the defense ministry, intelligence services, and foreign affairs. Their mandate, Zelensky emphasized, was singular: to discuss a 30-day, unconditional ceasefire.

No Trump, No Putin, No Progress

Expectations for the Istanbul summit were further dampened by U.S. President Donald Trump, who is on a diplomatic tour in the Middle East. Trump had previously hinted he might join the talks but announced Wednesday that he would not attend, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: “Nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Antalya, echoed that view: “It’s my assessment that I don’t think we’re going to have a breakthrough here until the President and President Putin interact directly on this topic.” Rubio is expected to meet with Turkish and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul on Friday.

The U.S. has repeatedly warned it could withdraw its mediation efforts if the warring parties fail to make credible progress. Washington is also considering new financial and secondary sanctions against Moscow if it is perceived as obstructing peace efforts.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the members of press, following NATO foreign ministers’ informal meeting, in Antalya, Turkey May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/Pool/File Photo

A Frozen Start

The negotiations are taking place at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace — the same location where the last direct talks between Ukraine and Russia occurred in March 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Medinsky, who also led Russia’s delegation then, described the current talks as a continuation of that effort.

“We are ready to work,” Medinsky said in a video message. He noted that preliminary discussions with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had been “productive,” but with Ukraine absent on Thursday, the Russian team had no counterparts to meet. About 200 journalists waited outside the palace as the impasse unfolded.

Zelensky and Ukrainian officials remain firm in their stance that any peace deal must include guarantees of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and future security — a direct rejection of Putin’s longstanding demands that Kyiv cede occupied territory, abandon NATO ambitions, and adopt permanent neutrality.

A Chasm Too Wide?

The chasm between the two sides remains vast. Russia, now controlling nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory, has made few concessions and continues to advance militarily. On Thursday, Russian forces claimed to have captured two more settlements in the Donetsk region.

Putin’s approach to the talks, observers say, reflects confidence in his battlefield position. Ukrainian officials, however, argue that Moscow’s terms — including a drastically reduced Ukrainian military — amount to a call for capitulation.

Despite calls for diplomacy, the current atmosphere is one of diplomatic disarray. Trump’s unpredictable interventions, frustration from European allies, and ongoing hostilities on the ground have left the path to peace as uncertain as ever.

Medinsky framed the talks as a long-term process: “The task of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is, sooner or later, to achieve long-term peace by eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict.”

But for now, those root causes remain unresolved — and peace, once again, appears far off.