PoliticsWar President Zelenskyy expressed disappointment with Putin’s absence and the low-ranking Russian delegation in Turkey. Friday, Might 16, 2025 
After arriving in Ankara on Might 15, Zelenskyy described the Russian contingent as “pretend,” contrasting it with the high-ranking officers within the Ukrainian delegation. The Russian delegation was led by Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky and in addition comprised Deputy Overseas Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the Major Directorate of the Common Employees of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Protection Minister Alexander Fomin. Medinsky and Fomin had been a part of Putin’s workforce despatched to barter Ukraine’s give up within the early days of the invasion.
Western diplomats recommend that Putin’s option to ship junior officers relatively than meet Zelenskyy immediately eliminates any likelihood for a breakthrough in negotiations. By appointing Medinsky to guide the delegation, Putin signaled his unwillingness to compromise and his continued intent to realize the identical targets as in 2022 – dismantling Ukraine as a sovereign state. It’s vital to notice that Zelenskyy thought of withdrawing from the Istanbul talks if Putin didn’t attend, however American and European allies persuaded him to take part. In keeping with Western companions, the Istanbul conferences might nonetheless yield advances within the negotiations, which have at present reached an deadlock.