The meeting in Istanbul was supposed to have started at 9 am, according to Russian information, which was quickly denied by Ukraine. Then, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the talks, at Turkey's request, had been postponed until the afternoon. However, a source within the Foreign Ministry tells Reuters that no meeting has been scheduled yet.
Then, a heated exchange of words broke out. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, who is on site in Turkey's capital Ankara, called the Russian delegation "theater props" with unclear mandate to make decisions. The Russian Foreign Ministry responded by calling Zelenskyj a "clown" and a "loser", writes AFP. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called him "pathetic".
Shortly before, the Kremlin had formally confirmed that President Vladimir Putin would not attend, according to BBC. But already on Wednesday evening, it was clear that the most prominent invitees – Putin and Donald Trump – would probably decline the invitation. Who is part of the Ukrainian delegation is unclear, but according to Zelenskyj, it is "at the highest level".
Led by advisors
Outside the Dolmabahçe in Istanbul, where the meeting is rumored to take place, hundreds of journalists are waiting. The security presence is extensive.
It was here that the last known direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine took place. Then, the war had been going on for a few weeks – now it has been over three years.
The lineup is also largely the same, at least from the Russian side.
The delegation, which according to the Russian news agency Interfax arrived in Istanbul on Thursday morning, consists of President Putin's tough advisor Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, and Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia's military intelligence service GRU.
Trump: Maybe tomorrow
It is unclear whether Zelenskyj intends to attend. First, he will meet with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, according to the Turkish state news agency Anatolia. Then, the Ukrainian leader will decide on further talks with Russia, sources tell AFP.
According to the White House, neither will US President Donald Trump, who earlier this week offered to come if Putin shows up. His envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg are expected to participate instead. However, Trump claims that he "can still go on Friday" – if the talks make progress.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on site in southern Turkey for today's informal foreign minister meeting within NATO", states that Trump is open to "practically anything" that can lead to peace in Ukraine.
