Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday hailed Türkiye's diverse diplomatic contributions in efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as Kyiv geared up for peace negotiations in Istanbul.
Zelenskyy's remarks came following his talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara. In Istanbul, delegations from Ukraine and Russia were set for the first direct talks between the sides since March 2022.
"We had a very meaningful conversation at the highest level," Zelenskyy said on social media platform X. "This is a very important signal – not only politically, but also personally, in terms of our friendship and Türkiye's multifaceted support for Ukraine."
He stressed that Türkiye received Ukraine's senior officials "with a delegation of equal standing – at the highest level," noting Ankara's active involvement in efforts to facilitate negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and international actors, including the U.S.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin spurned a challenge to meet face-to-face with Zelenskyy in Türkiye, instead sending a second-tier delegation to planned peace talks, while Ukraine's president said his defense minister would head up Kyiv's team.
Despite concerns over the composition of the Russian delegation, which Zelenskyy said lacks decision-making authority, he confirmed that Ukraine would still take part in the Istanbul talks.
"I have decided to send a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul – though not in full," he said.
Zelenskyy's delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, will remain in Istanbul until Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, Zelenskyy said Putin's decision not to attend but to send what he called a "decorative" line-up showed the Russian leader was not serious about ending the war. Russia accused Ukraine of trying "to put on a show" around the talks.
It was not clear when the talks would actually begin.
"We can't be running around the world looking for Putin," Zelenskyy said after meeting Erdoğan.
"I feel disrespect from Russia. No meeting time, no agenda, no high-level delegation – this is personal disrespect. To Erdoğan, to Trump," he told reporters.
Ukraine backs an immediate, unconditional 30-day cease-fire, but Putin has said he first wants to start talks at which the details of such a truce could be discussed. More than three years after its full-scale invasion, Russia has the advantage on the battlefield and says Ukraine could use a pause in the war to call up extra troops and acquire more Western weapons.
Hundreds of thousands have been killed and wounded on both sides in the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Washington has threatened repeatedly to abandon its mediation efforts unless there is clear progress.
Trump said on Thursday he would go to the talks in Türkiye on Friday if it was "appropriate."
"I just hope Russia and Ukraine are able to do something. It has to stop," he said.
Asked if Putin would join talks at some future point, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "What kind of participation will be required further, at what level, it is too early to say now."
Meanwhile, Vladimir Medinsky, the presidential adviser and head of the Russian delegation, said in a press conference in Istanbul that his team has full authority to discuss all matters necessary for resolving the conflict.
He noted that the delegation was approved by a presidential decree and prepared during a meeting with Putin.
"The goal of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is to achieve long-term peace," Medinsky said, calling for a constructive approach to find common ground.
