Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin will not travel to Istanbul to negotiate with the Ukrainian delegation.

Source:Peskov in a statement, as reported by Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti 

Quote:"Peskov answered in the negative to the question whether there is a chance that Putin will attend the talks in Türkiye."

Background: 

• In a nighttime statement on 11 May, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin did not mention a 30-day ceasefire but said he was ready for "direct talks" with Kyiv in Istanbul on Thursday 15 May.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed to Zelenskyy that he is ready to accept direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on 15 May. Earlier, Zelenskyy said that he was ready to come to Istanbul if Putin came there.
• Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that a refusal by Putin to come to the talks in Türkiye would indicate that Russia does not want to end the war. The Kremlin said that the Russian side continues to prepare for negotiations in Istanbul on 15 May and has no further comments.
• Yermak said that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations with Russia, but there is one condition: a complete ceasefire by the aggressor country.
• On 14 May, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin approved the composition of the Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine in Türkiye on 15 May. The delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, does not include Putin or other top-ranking officials. 
• Ukrainian officials stated that they will meet with the Russian delegation solely to discuss how to implement and monitor the unconditional 30-day ceasefire proposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

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