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Negotiations on a possible end to hostilities between Russia and Ukraine are taking place in Turkey with the participation of delegations from the parties, but without the personal presence of the leaders of the states, The Wall Street Journal reports.
According to sources, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Ankara to participate in consultations and meetings on the sidelines of the negotiation process. However, Zelensky's proposal to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin was not accepted by the Russian side. The Russian President refused to participate personally, delegating authority to his team of negotiators.
The delegation of the Russian Federation is headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to the Russian President. The Russian delegation also includes Alexander Fomin, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. These representatives previously participated in similar negotiations in Istanbul in March 2022, which ended without results after the withdrawal of Russian troops from Kiev and a number of northern regions of Ukraine.
As the WSJ notes, Putin's refusal to personally participate in the negotiations and delegating authority to officials has cast doubt on the prospects of reaching a ceasefire agreement. The publication emphasizes that such a position by the Kremlin may indicate an unwillingness to make political concessions in the current phase of the conflict.
At the same time, Reuters reports that an American delegation headed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also present in Ankara. It also includes senior representatives Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, he met with Rubio on Thursday morning to discuss Ukraine's vision of peace terms and coordinate positions ahead of the talks.
Key rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia, with the participation of US representatives, are expected to take place in Istanbul on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the day before it became known that US President Donald Trump, who had previously expressed his readiness to come to Ankara for possible participation in the negotiations, abandoned this idea at the last moment.
The talks in Turkey are taking place against the backdrop of an escalation of tensions on the frontline and diplomatic activity by a number of international players. Experts note that the lack of direct dialogue between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, as well as the absence of a concrete peace plan, could make it difficult to reach a compromise.
