Trump, Putin and Zelensky were absent! Russia-Ukraine negotiations are postponed to Friday

**Source: Wall Street Journal**  

**Russia-Ukraine Talks Delayed as Planned Istanbul Meeting Fails to Materialize**  

Russia and Ukraine had originally planned to hold their first direct talks in over three years this Thursday in Istanbul, Turkey. However, as Turkish time entered Friday, negotiations had yet to begin—clearly indicating a delay in the scheduled talks.  

Reports suggest that the Ukrainian delegation's late arrival on Thursday prevented the talks from proceeding as planned.  

Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky stated Thursday that Russian negotiators would wait for their Ukrainian counterparts at 10 a.m. local time (3 p.m. Beijing time) on Friday in Istanbul.  

"Tomorrow morning, specifically from 10 a.m., we will be waiting for the Ukrainian representatives, who should come to the meeting. We are ready," Medinsky told the media.  

In the early hours of May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed reporters at the Kremlin, inviting Kyiv to resume direct negotiations—which had been suspended since 2022—without any preconditions. He proposed starting talks in Istanbul on May 15.  

Ukraine subsequently accepted the proposal, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posting on X at the time: "I will be waiting for Putin in Turkey on Thursday. I will go personally."  

Since then, speculation has been rife over whether Putin would attend in person. However, Moscow remained tight-lipped on the matter.  

Late Wednesday local time, Russia released the list of delegates for the Istanbul talks—with Putin notably absent.  

The Russian delegation is led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky. Other members include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Director of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, and four expert advisors.  

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced that he would not attend the Istanbul talks in person, instead sending a high-level delegation.  

Kyiv has previously stated that Zelenskyy would only participate in negotiations concerning Ukraine if Putin were present and would not meet with any other Russian representatives.  

Zelenskyy also criticized Putin's decision not to attend and the level of Russian diplomats sent to Istanbul, suggesting Moscow was not serious about ending the war. Russia, in turn, accused Ukraine of attempting to "stage a show" around the talks.  

On Thursday, the Ukrainian Presidential Office released a decree signed by Zelenskyy outlining the composition of Ukraine’s delegation. The 12-member team is led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and includes officials from the Security Service of Ukraine, the Presidential Office, the Foreign Ministry, the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry.  

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he might attend the talks if Putin and Zelenskyy met directly in Turkey. However, after the Kremlin released its delegation list, U.S. officials told media that Trump would not travel to Turkey for the talks due to Putin’s absence.  

With Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy all absent, expectations for a breakthrough in the negotiations remain low.  

On Thursday, Trump stated that the Russia-Ukraine conflict would not be resolved before he meets with Putin. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also expressed low expectations for the talks, saying, "My assessment is that unless President Trump and President Putin engage directly on this topic, there will be no breakthrough."  

**Disclaimer**: The views expressed in this article represent solely the author’s personal opinions and do not constitute investment advice from this platform. This platform makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, originality, or timeliness of the information provided and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of or reliance on such information.