Zelenskyy attends, but will Putin show up? All you need to know about Istanbul talks

Takeaways

• What is known about the talks in Istanbul?
• Who initiated direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia?
• Why is Zelenskyy insisting on Putin’s personal participation?
• Is Ukraine willing to negotiate without Putin?
• Who represents the delegations at the talks, and why is the Russian one being criticized?
• What demands is Russia making despite its statements about negotiations without prerequisites?
• What will happen if this meeting yields no results?

Live updates

5:15 p.m. Kyiv time

After meeting with Erdoğan, Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to the press. The main message is that the Ukrainian delegation did go to Istanbul for talks. It is not yet clear whether the meeting will take place tonight. According to him, the delegation will stay there on May 16, and the talks with the Russians will be moderated by the Turkish and Russian sides.

The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk, and the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andrii Hnatov, did not go to Istanbul. The main task of the talks is to achieve a complete ceasefire.

Zelenskyy also criticized Putin, who did not come to Türkiye, saying it was a demonstration that he does not respect Trump and Erdoğan. But he believed that a ceasefire could be negotiated without Putin.

4:50 p.m.

The Russian delegation is ready for “possible compromises” at the talks in Istanbul, as its head, Vladimir Medinsky, said.

According to him, the Ukrainian delegation is expected in Istanbul, and there is a “working mood.”

4:20 p.m.

The meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has ended in the Turkish capital. It reportedly lasted three hours.

Meanwhile, according to trackers, the Ukrainian president's plane is scheduled to take off for Istanbul.

3:35 p.m.

Ukraine may send a team of appropriate level to Istanbul, Reuters reports.

According to the agency, which cites a Ukrainian diplomatic source, Ukraine also wants to determine whether the Russian team has the authority to make any decisions. And if the Russian delegation is ready for a “serious conversation,” the Ukrainian delegation may make contact.

“But if the Russian delegation failed to show any kind of serious approach towards the talks, we will have the right to conclude that this is a Russian charade, not meaningful work for peace," the source said.

3:17 p.m.

Trump said there will be no progress in peace talks on Ukraine until he and Putin meet. He told reporters on board Air Force One before landing in Abu Dhabi, where he will make the third stop on his Middle East tour.

Journalists asked the US president whether he was disappointed with the level of the delegation that the Russians sent to Türkiye for the talks, which obviously did not include Putin.

“I’m not disappointed. Why would I be?.. I know nothing about a delegation, I haven’t even checked. Nothing’s gonna happen until Putin and I get together, ok? And obviously — he wasn’t going to go. He was going to go, but he thought I was going. He wasn’t going if I wasn’t there and I don’t believe anything’s going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together. But we’re going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying,” Trump said.

3 p.m. Kyiv time

Meanwhile, the Kremlin was already speculating about whether Putin would appear at the talks with Ukraine in the event of new rounds.

According to the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, it is premature to discuss that now.

“Our delegation is in Istanbul today, May 15. It's premature to say what kind of participation will be required in the future, at what level. Because we don't know whether Ukrainian negotiators will show up or not, how the talks will go. The Russian delegation is ready and waiting in Istanbul,” Peskov said.

2:14 p.m.

“Their role is to bark from Moscow": Ukrainian MFA spokesman responds to Russian Foreign Ministry's insults against Zelenskyy

Russian Foreign Ministry, after Zelenskyy's words about the sham Russian delegation at the talks, made bold statements against the President of Ukraine. For example, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov called Zelenskyy “pathetic,” while Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova called him a “clown and a loser.”

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi has already responded.

“Instead of Putin coming to meet with President Zelenskyy in Türkiye and have a serious conversation about ending the war and restoring peace, what we hear from Russia are personal insults of the Ukrainian President. Not the first time the Russian foreign ministry becomes a laughing stock. It is also worth noting that the delegation in Türkiye is not led by the Russian foreign ministry—their role is to bark from Moscow.,” Tykhyi said on X.

2:12 p.m.

In Türkiye, Zelenskyy gave a message to Putin: “I'm here”.

A Sky News correspondent asked the President of Ukraine, who was leaving the airport with a delegation if he had a message for Putin. Zelenskyy answered briefly: “I am here. I think this is a very clear message.”

1:32 p.m.

The meeting between the Presidents of Ukraine and Türkiye has started.

1:20 p.m.

A source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry tells Reuters that the time for the talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul has not yet been set.

Meanwhile, Sky News, also quoting a source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry, writes that today's Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul have not been postponed.

12:29 p.m.

Zelenskyy revealed the Ukrainian delegation to the talks in Türkiye. It is represented at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President's Office, the military, and intelligence.

The President confirmed that he would first meet with President Erdoğan and the Turkish delegation. He also expressed hope that the US delegation, like Ukraine's, would also be represented at a high level.

“But the level of the Russians is not yet officially known to me. But from what we can see, it looks more like a sham. We will think about what we will do and what our next steps will be after talking to President Erdoğan. I think we will have a few hours for an important conversation and very important decisions. We need to understand the level of the Russian delegation and what their mandate is, whether they are capable of making decisions on their own. Because we all know who makes decisions in Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

12:10 p.m. Kyiv time

Zelenskyy has arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara, where he will hold talks with Erdoğan.

11:59 a.m.

Putin will definitely not come to the talks.

According to pro-Kremlin media, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov answered in the negative when asked if there was a chance that Putin would attend the talks in Türkiye.

11:42 a.m. Kyiv time

Sybiha has arrived in Ankara to participate in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“In such national armor (referring to an embroidered shirt - ed.), full combat readiness for a day of intense diplomacy,” the Foreign Minister wrote on social media.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the coming hours.

Screenshot: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga is already in Ankara

11:22 a.m.

Türkiye hopes that the talks will be a “new chance for peace.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan believes that the talks between Russia and Ukraine “open a new window of opportunity for peace between the two warring countries.”

“Türkiye has always advocated a diplomatic way to achieve peace. After three years of suffering, we see that a window of opportunity has opened. I hope that the talks to be held in Istanbul will help us open a new page,” he said.

11:19 a.m.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticized Putin for sending his aides and Russian deputy ministers for peace talks with Ukraine, rejecting Kyiv's offer to come there in person to meet with Zelenskyy.

10:53 a.m.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has officially confirmed the arrival of their delegation to Istanbul for talks.

Ukraine has not yet confirmed its participation in the talks with the delegation sent by the Kremlin. It is also not yet known who will participate in the negotiations on the Ukrainian side if such a meeting does take place.

10:44 a.m. Kyiv time

When asked why Putin had not come to Istanbul, the President of the United States, currently visiting Qatar, said: “I didn't think it was possible for Putin to go if I'm not there,” Trump told reporters.

He suggested he may arrive in Türkiye on Friday, May 16, “if appropriate.”

Who initiated the talks?

The idea of holding negotiations came from Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He proposed direct, talks with no prerequisites in Istanbul as a counter-offer after Ukraine and the Coalition of the Willing last week called on Russia to implement a 30-day ceasefire starting May 12. If Moscow refused, Ukraine’s partners threatened sanctions.

However, in fact, Putin rejected the idea and instead proposed negotiations on May 15, positioning them as a continuation of the Istanbul talks that took place back in 2022. The initiative prompted a quick response from US President Donald Trump, who stated that Ukraine must agree to direct negotiations with Russia.

European leaders decided to wait and see whether today’s meeting would produce results. If not, and if Russia is merely stalling again, they promise devastating sanctions.

Zelenskyy accepted Putin’s proposal for direct talks but made a countermove. He suggested a face-to-face meeting with the Kremlin leader in Türkiye.

The President of Ukraine said that if Putin does not come to the talks, it will signal his lack of genuine interest in peace. Zelenskyy expects that both the US and Europe will impose the toughest sanctions packages against Russia if the aggressor derails the negotiations.

Zelenskyy explained that together with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — whom he is meeting today in Ankara — they will do everything to ensure a meeting with Putin happens if the latter does arrive in Türkiye.

“To prevent Russia from manipulating the cities, I want to state clearly: if Putin flies to Istanbul, not the capital of Türkiye, I’ve signaled that to President Erdoğan and the Turkish side is ready — we’ll fly to Istanbul. So, in any case, we will do everything to make this meeting happen,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader explained his insistence on negotiating directly with Putin. It was also addressed by the Office of the President (OP), which noted that all decisions in Russia are made solely by its leader, Putin.

As OP adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told RBC-Ukraine, if the Russian delegation does not include Putin, but rather other representatives, then it is merely a propaganda delegation — nothing more.

Delegation participants

Ukraine

Zelenskyy has declared he is expecting Putin personally at the meeting in Türkiye and has himself traveled to Ankara. The Ukrainian delegation has also traveled to Türkiye with him.

However, the OP clarified that if Putin is absent, Zelenskyy will not negotiate with any other Russian representatives.

The decision on whether to sit down at the table with the Russian delegation — if Putin is not part of it — rests with Zelenskyy, Podolyak told RBC-Ukraine.

Zelenskyy explained that he will determine Kyiv’s next diplomatic steps once it is known who is representing Russia in Türkiye.

Until the last moment, it remained unclear who would represent Ukraine in the talks — if, of course, the president decides the delegation should proceed with negotiations with the Russians.

Later, RBC-Ukraine learned from sources that Zelenskyy plans to meet Erdoğan in Ankara before making any decisions on the next steps regarding negotiations with Russia. A meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders is scheduled for 1 p.m. Kyiv time.

The Ukraine-Russia talks will not take place before that time. Nevertheless, the Russians began spreading information in the morning about talks starting at 10 a.m.

The Center for Countering Disinformation promptly refuted that, noting that the enemy is trying to manipulate the negotiation narrative by spreading such fakes.

Russia

The Kremlin kept the identity of Russia’s delegation secret for a long time. Moscow also did not explicitly say whether Putin would go to Türkiye.

Last evening the Russian leader approved the delegation — and did not include himself. According to the Kremlin's decision, the Russian delegation will again be headed by Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky, as it was over three years ago.

Also on the list:

• Mikhail Galuzin – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia

• Igor Kostyukov – Director of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of Russia

• Alexander Fomin – Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation

In addition to the Russian delegation members, Putin approved a group of experts for the talks:

• Alexander Zorin – First Deputy Chief of the Information Directorate of the Russian General Staff

• Yelena Podobreevskaya – Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration's Directorate for State Humanitarian Policy

• Alexei Polishchuk – Director of the Second CIS Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry

• Viktor Shevtsov – Deputy Chief of the Main Directorate for International Military Cooperation of the Russian Defense Ministry

Meanwhile, The Washington Post, citing a former senior Kremlin official, previously reported that Russia would be represented at the talks by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov. Journalists concluded that the Kremlin decided to downgrade the level of its delegation to Istanbul.

The EU has already reacted. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated on Thursday that Putin sending a low-level delegation for negotiations over the war in Ukraine was “like a slap in the face.”

United States

The US president said he would personally travel to Türkiye “to save many lives,” but also sent Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoys Steve Wittkoff and Keith Kellogg on behalf of the US.

However, upon learning that Putin would not be in Istanbul, Trump also decided not to go, Reuters reported, citing sources in the White House.

Today, Trump said he would travel to Türkiye on Friday if appropriate for the Ukraine-Russia negotiations.

Rubio, meanwhile, stated that Trump is open to any mechanism that will lead to a just peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine. He added that the US wants to see progress in the coming days, and emphasized that there is no military solution to this war.

Notably, without the American side, Zelenskyy had been prepared to block the negotiations with Russia altogether if Putin did not come to Istanbul, according to The Washington Post.

The outlet notes that US and European officials reportedly dissuaded the Ukrainian president from this course and emphasized that it is critically important to send at least a high-level delegation, such as Andriy Yermak and Andrii Sybiha.

According to WP, the Ukrainian side was also persuaded by US special envoy Wittkoff, who considers participating in direct negotiations with Russia a win-win.

Parallel to the potential direct Ukraine-Russia talks, an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers is taking place in Antalya. Among the participants is Rubio, who met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Sybiha has held a series of important meetings on the war. He met with his Turkish counterpart Fidan for a “detailed discussion” on ending the Russia-Ukraine war and subsequently met with NATO Secretary General Rutte, US Secretary of State Rubio, and Senator Lindsey Graham. He also held meetings with colleagues from Germany, France, and Poland.

What are the sides proposing?

Although Putin proposed talks without preconditions, Russia has since made a series of demands it has voiced since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov reiterated old ultimatums, including the “denazification” of Ukraine and recognition of the occupied territories as part of Russia, rooting serious doubt on the Kremlin’s sincerity regarding peace.

According to WSJ, citing unnamed Ukrainian officials, if a meeting with the Russian team takes place, Ukraine intends to discuss only how to implement and monitor a 30-day ceasefire, as proposed by the Trump administration. Ukraine agreed to such a ceasefire back in March, but Putin has not yet approved the idea.

If the talks do happen, it will be a historic event — the first time since 2022 that the Ukrainian and Russian sides have met at the same table. The previous attempt in March of that year in Istanbul ended without results. The negotiation process collapsed in May, as the world discussed the atrocities committed by the Russian troops in Bucha and beyond.

As RBC-Ukraine previously reported, citing expert opinions, no major breakthrough should be expected from the potential talks between Ukraine and Russia.

Most experts believed that Putin would not attend the meeting in Istanbul and that talks with Russian representatives merely promoting narratives would be pointless.

Read more about what to expect from the Istanbul negotiations in a separate RBC-Ukraine article.

In an interview, Russian opposition political analyst Ivan Preobrazhensky also told RBC-Ukraine why Putin is afraid to travel to Türkiye for talks.

Sources: The Washington Post, Meduza, Fox News, CNN, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Sky News.