The Kremlin has bluntly confirmed Vladimir Putin won’t be in Turkey today for peace talks. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, has just landed in Ankara. Donald Trump said he expected Putin’s no-show. Follow the latest and listen to Trump 100 below.
Thursday 15 May 2025 11:24, UK
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has posted on X saying the level of Russian representation for scheduled peace talks in Turkey appeared “theatrical”.
He ends the post by saying “we all know who actually makes decisions in Russia”.
Here’s the post in full…
First and foremost, I want to thank President @RTErdogan for organizing the opportunity for direct negotiations – that was exactly the signal we had received.
The Ukrainian side confirmed its readiness, and today, we are here in the capital, in Ankara. Ukraine is represented by a top-level delegation – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, my Office, the military, and representatives of all our intelligence agencies – ready to make any decisions that could lead to a long-awaited just peace.
We will begin with a meeting with President Erdoğan and with the entire Turkish delegation. We are in contact with the U.S. side – I believe they will be present in Türkiye at a high level as well.
I have not yet received official confirmation regarding the Russian level of representation. But from what we can observe, it appears theatrical.
We will decide on our next steps after the conversation with President Erdoğan. We will have several hours for an important discussion and very important decisions.
It is essential to understand the level of the Russian delegation, what mandate they hold, and whether they are authorised to make any decisions at all – because we all know who actually makes decisions in Russia.
There is no postponement of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul today as a technical Russian delegation has already arrived in the city, a Turkish foreign ministry source says.
It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Russia’s delegation to Istanbul as “decorative” as he landed in Ankara for a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (see our 10.28 post).
Russian President Vladimir Putin had called for direct talks with Ukraine last Sunday, only to choose not to attend negotiations today.
Erdogan, meanwhile, will be urging a ceasefire and peace talks without delay between the warring factions as he meets with Zelenskyy later today, the Turkish president’s office has said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin may be trying to “humiliate” Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy with his handling of the peace talks in Turkey, Sky News’ Moscow correspondent says.
Speaking ahead of talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul today, Ivor Bennett said: “I think publishing the list at the 11th hour last night, keeping everyone hanging on till the last moment to find out what the make up of Russia’s delegation was, is an expression of power and also a show of disrespect to Ukraine.”
Bennett pointed to how the delegation being sent to Istanbul is not Russia’s top team but “technocrats”, in what may be an attempt by the Kremlin leader to “humiliate” Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the low-level Russian delegation sent to Istanbul for peace talks as low-level and “decorative”.
Arriving in Turkey’s capital Ankara for talks with the country’s President Erdogan, Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian delegation is “trying to be constructive”.
Speaking after having a light blue carpet rolled out for him and being greeted by local officials as he landed in Ankara Airport, Zelenskyy said: “I will be deciding on further steps after meeting President Erdogan.”
The Ukrainian president said the level of the Russian delegation sent to Istanbul for talks today was “not the highest one” but reiterated “we will make a decision after meeting President Erdogan”.
He was, of course, speaking in the light of Vladimir Putin’s no-show in Turkey today.
As Volodymyr Zelenskyy lands in Ankara, more from Russia now.
Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin spokesman, has just been asked if there is any chance the Russian president will attend today’s peace talks in Ukraine.
According to Russian state media, Peskov bluntly replied: “No.”
So we shouldn’t expect any surprises today, it seems…
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in Turkey’s capital of Ankara for talks with the country’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
You can watch his arrival live in the stream at the top of this page.
It comes as delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet in Istanbul for a fresh round of negotiations aimed at putting an end to the three-year war.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbour in February 2022.
As we’ve been reporting, Vladimir Putin is not expected in Istanbul today. Putin suggested direct Russia-Ukraine talks at the weekend, and Zelenskyy said he and Putin should meet.
If there are any surprises, we’ll let you know right here.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have been moved to the second half of today, the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman has said.
The talks in Turkey’s city of Istanbul were moved at the initiative of the Turkish side, the ministry said.
All eyes are on Turkey today.
As we’ve been reporting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected in Ankara to meet Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while in Istanbul there will be direct Russia-Ukraine talks – albeit without Vladimir Putin.
In Antalya, a resort city on the country’s southern coast, an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers is taking place.
Here’s a selection of pictures as they gather…
A Russian fighter jet violated NATO territory for close to one minute as it sought to check on a ship under UK sanctions which Estonia tried to detain, the eastern European country’s foreign minister has said.
After the Russia-bound oil tanker, Jaguar, which was placed on Britain’s sanctions list last Friday, refused to cooperate with an attempt to board it, the Estonian navy said it was escorted to Russian waters.
The vessel had been accused of sailing illegally without a flag.
“The Russian Federation sent a fighter jet to check the situation, and this fighter jet violated NATO territory for close to one minute,” Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said in the Turkish city of Antalya at the NATO foreign ministers meeting we’ve been reporting on.
“We need to understand that Russia has officially tried and connected itself to the Russian ‘shadow fleet’,” he said, adding that Russia had shown itself willing to protect it by sending the jet.
Tsahkna described the situation as “really serious”.
The Jaguar is one of more than 100 ships in Russia’s “shadow fleet”, a term Western countries use for ships they accuse Moscow of deploying to avoid international sanctions, typically unregulated and uninsured by regular Western organisations.
Talks between Russia and Ukraine today offer a new window of opportunity for peace between the two warring countries, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan says.
Speaking earlier ahead of scheduled peace talks in Istanbul, the minister added he hoped the fresh round of negotiations would open a new chapter.
Russia and Ukraine have been at war since Moscow launched a land, air and sea invasion of its smaller neighbour in February 2022.
Fidan was speaking at the opening of an informal NATO foreign ministers meeting in the southern Turkish province of Antalya.
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Ukraine war latest: 'Decorative' Russian team for peace talks criticised by Zelenskyy as he lands in Turkey – Sky News
