Is Putin Set to Attend Peace Talks in Turkey? Kremlin's Notice Suggests Otherwise.

A senior advisor known for his hardline stance will lead the Russian delegation as per the Kremlin's release.

On Wednesday, Russia unveiled the list of delegates appointed to participate in discussions in Turkey. Notably absent from this list is President Vladimir V. Putin.

Excluding Mr. Putin from the list is a clear sign that he will not be engaging directly with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, despite Zelensky having previously criticized him. In a statement, the Kremlin confirmed that Mr. Putin personally approved this delegation arrangement.

There was previous talk from former U.S. President Trump about his possible involvement in the peace negotiations before re-entering office. He had mentioned potentially traveling to Turkey for this purpose.

Speaking at the White House earlier in the week, Mr. Trump informed reporters, 'I seriously considered making the trip myself.'

However, by Wednesday, Mr. Trump had clarified his position, indicating that he would not attend and would instead proceed with his planned trip to the United Arab Emirates. He did, however, mention that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be present at the talks.

Addressing the press, Trump noted, 'Our schedule is pretty tight; we have commitments. The UAE trip is tomorrow. Now, saving lives is a priority, and I wouldn’t hesitate if necessary, but for now, this is where we stand.'