Putin Declines Zelenskyy’s Istanbul Peace Talks Proposal, Russia Sends Medinsky-Led Delegation Instead

 The Kremlin has formally declined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proposal for a face-to-face meeting in Istanbul, opting instead to dispatch a delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky, a senior aide to President Vladimir Putin and a known hardliner. The move signals Moscow’s intent to revert to a familiar—and largely unproductive—negotiation framework reminiscent of the 2022 talks.

In a statement released late Wednesday, Russian officials confirmed that Medinsky, the former culture minister and head of the previous Russia-Ukraine talks, will lead the delegation. He will be accompanied by Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, and Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia’s military intelligence agency.

Notably absent from the Russian team are top diplomats Yuri Ushakov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, both of whom have played prominent roles in past high-level engagements with Western powers, including discussions held in Saudi Arabia.

The Kremlin’s decision came amid mounting international pressure. President Zelenskyy had issued a direct challenge to Putin to meet in Turkey following the Russian leader’s unexpected late-night call for renewed negotiations. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had earlier hinted at his willingness to travel to Istanbul if Putin were present, also confirmed he would not attend.

“Putin’s refusal to meet in person is telling,” Zelenskyy said Tuesday. “If he does not arrive and continues to play games, it will be clear he has no real intention of ending this war.”

The talks, set for Thursday in Istanbul, remain shrouded in uncertainty but carry growing geopolitical weight. President Zelenskyy is expected to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara ahead of the discussions and has signaled he is ready to fly to Istanbul at a moment’s notice should Putin reverse course.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who is already in Turkey, posted images late Wednesday of a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senator Lindsey Graham. The trio discussed aligning their positions and advancing peace initiatives. “It is critical that Russia reciprocate Ukraine’s constructive steps,” Sybiha wrote. “So far, it has not. Moscow must understand that rejecting peace comes at a cost.”

The United States remains cautiously engaged. Trump, currently on the final leg of a Gulf tour in the UAE, told reporters there was a “possibility” of diverting to Turkey if Putin had accepted the invitation. “That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it to save a lot of lives,” he added.

Meanwhile, both Brazil and China—nations with close ties to Moscow—have endorsed renewed negotiations. In Beijing, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pledged to encourage Putin to engage directly. “It costs me nothing to say: ‘Hey, comrade Putin, go to Istanbul and negotiate, dammit,’” Lula remarked.

A joint Brazil-China statement issued Tuesday reiterated that direct talks remain “the only way to end the conflict.”

Ukraine is expected to propose a 30-day ceasefire as a basis for further discussions. However, Russian officials have repeatedly dismissed extended ceasefires, arguing they provide Ukraine with opportunities to regroup militarily at a time when Russian forces are making battlefield gains.

Western leaders have voiced growing concern over Russia’s posture ahead of the talks. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned against any settlement imposed under duress. “There must be no dictated peace from Moscow,” Merz told parliament on Wednesday. “It is of paramount importance that the political West does not allow itself to be divided.”

As negotiations approach, the question remains whether this round will mark a diplomatic turning point or merely replay the unresolved dynamics of previous efforts.