Russian President Vladimir Putin did not appear in Turkey on Thursday for proposed direct peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Mr Zelenskyy, who was waiting in Ankara after publicly challenging the Kremlin leader to face-to-face negotiations to end their three-year-old war, was left without a counterpart.

In Mr Putin’s absence, a Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul, but it remained unclear whether any meetings would take place, potentially the first since March 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine a month earlier.

Mr Zelenskyy dismissed the Russian delegation as merely “decorative,” casting doubt on Moscow’s commitment to genuine negotiations.

Speaking at the airport in Ankara, Mr Zelenskyy said the next steps in the peace process would be decided after his upcoming meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who welcomed him with an honour guard at the presidential palace.

Mr Putin’s no-show dealt a blow to renewed hopes for peace, which had recently gained momentum with support from the Trump administration and Western European leaders.

It also raised the likelihood of new Western sanctions on Russia, which Western nations had warned could follow if progress stalled.

(AP/NAN)