**Russian Delegation Arrives in Istanbul for Peace Talks with Ukraine**
A plane carrying the Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul on May 15, ahead of planned peace talks with Ukraine. According to Interfax, a pro-state news agency, the Russian officials were welcomed at the airport, but their leader, Vladimir Putin, is not among them.
Instead, Putin has sent his aide, Vladimir Medinsky, to lead the negotiations. The Russian delegation also includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Military Intelligence Director Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin. However, the absence of top politicians like Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov has raised eyebrows.
**Uncertainty Over Talks Format**
The talks are expected to begin in a closed-door format at around 10 a.m. local time. However, Ukraine’s Presidential Office has said that President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet lower-level Russian officials if Putin refuses to come. This creates uncertainty over the format of the expected talks.
**Zelensky Waiting for Conclusive Signals**
President Zelensky is set to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara before the Istanbul talks. In a statement on May 14, he expressed skepticism about Russia’s intentions, saying that the signals from Moscow were “unconvincing.”
Kyiv and its allies have urged Moscow to adopt an unconditional ceasefire starting May 12 as the first step toward peace talks. However, Russia has ignored this proposal.
**International Pressure Mounts**
The international community is watching the developments closely. U.S. President Donald Trump initially expressed optimism about a Zelensky-Putin meeting but later said he would not attend the peace talks. Instead, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Turkey on May 14 and met with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to join Rubio in Istanbul on May 16 to participate in discussions on Ukraine. As the world waits for concrete steps toward peace, one thing is clear: the road ahead will be tough, and the stakes are high.
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