**Russian Peace Talks Loom: Will Putin Attend?**
As the clock ticks down to potential peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, one question remains unanswered: will President Vladimir Putin attend? The Kremlin’s reluctance to confirm has left the international community on edge.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already announced that he will meet Putin in Istanbul on May 15. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, believes that “both leaders” will be there, putting pressure on Putin to attend without appearing to cave to Zelensky’s proposal.
However, according to Ukrainian lawmakers and experts, the Kremlin is likely using delaying tactics to avoid doing what they don’t want to do: stop the war and give up their maximalist demands. Russia has consistently refused a full ceasefire, opting for short-term truces that Ukraine says have been violated by Moscow.
“Russia’s proposal to hold talks in Istanbul is just another attempt to buy time and prolong the war,” said Volodymyr Ariev, a Ukrainian lawmaker from the opposition European Solidarity party. “Putin is not ready to stop the military campaign planned for this summer and autumn.”
Ariev believes that Putin will send a functionary instead of attending the talks personally, citing Russia’s history of using technical excuses to avoid direct meetings with Zelensky.
**Possible Excuses**
One potential excuse on hand is a decree approved by Zelensky in 2022 stating the impossibility of holding negotiations with Russian President Putin. However, sources close to the President’s Office claim that this was simply a signal to those who wanted to speak directly with Russia without going through the central government.
Other possible excuses include pressing engagements or even no excuse at all – just sending a negotiating team instead of attending the talks personally.
**Russia’s Longer-Term Plan**
Despite international pressure, Russia continues to reject a full ceasefire. Instead, they’re amassing troops across the border from Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast and bolstering forces in the east. Devastating missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian civilians have escalated during Trump’s term in office, with no indication that this will relent.
“It seems unlikely that Putin would grant Zelensky the status of meeting him personally, president to president,” said Jenny Mathers, a Russian political expert. “He could easily engineer another pressing engagement or give no excuse at all but send a negotiating team.”
**The International Community Waits**
As tensions rise and the clock ticks down to potential peace talks, the international community is waiting with bated breath for Putin’s next move. Will he attend, or will Russia continue to stall and prolong the war?
Only time will tell.
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This article was written by Chris York, news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent.
