Putin and Trump Bypass Peace Dialogue in Turkey, Leaving Zelenskyy Isolated

The anticipated meeting for peace in Turkey between the heads of Ukraine and Russia was thwarted as both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump chose not to attend.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, faced pressure from Trump to attend discussions in Istanbul, yet he declared his participation contingent on Putin's presence.

Last Sunday, Putin hinted at his openness to engage in "direct discussions" with Zelenskyy, claiming no prerequisites were needed, suggesting Istanbul as the venue.

Nevertheless, Putin never confirmed his attendance, and notably, the Kremlin did not include his name in the list of officials traveling to Istanbul, announced late Wednesday.

Putin's attendance remained a mystery with his spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, skillfully avoiding direct responses regarding his travel plans to Turkey. On Wednesday, he merely stated Putin had alternative 'working meetings.'

The Kremlin's delegation consists of Vladimir Medinsky, a presidential aide, accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, and senior military figure Igor Kostyukov.

Following the Kremlin's update, a senior official from the White House informed NBC News that while Trump was absent, the U.S. would send envoys Steve Witkoff, Keith Kellogg, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Istanbul.

Zelenskyy has cast doubt over the effectiveness of the talks, stating on Wednesday via social media that he remains unsure of Russia’s intentions and will decide Ukraine's course of action based on their delegation's participation.

Pressure mounted from Trump's weekend call for Ukraine to swiftly agree to dialogue, emphasizing that meeting Russia 'immediately' was paramount.

Trump remarked on his Truth Social platform, 'At least they will ascertain the potential for an agreement.' He stressed the importance of European and American leaders understanding the situation’s reality.

Doubting Ukraine's commitment to reaching a settlement with Putin, Trump urged vehemently, 'MEET NOW!'

With both Putin and Trump absent, it's unclear if Zelenskyy will still consider participating as talks were set to commence at 10 a.m. Moscow time.

Andrii Yermak, Zelenskyy's office head, was slated to join the negotiations, though confirmation of his involvement remains unverified. Zelenskyy is also expected to meet President Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday.