Ukraine's Zelenskyy arrives in Turkey for talks with Russia, without Putin

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their gathering astatine Turkey's statesmanlike palace successful Ankara, Thursday. Turkish Presidency/AP hide caption

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Turkish Presidency/AP

KYIV and MOSCOW — Hopes for substantive talks successful Istanbul betwixt Russia and Ukraine faded connected Thursday, aft days of aggravated speculation that Russian President Vladimir Putin and possibly adjacent President Trump would attend.

Only 1 person — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — showed up successful Turkey. He past met Putin face-to-face successful 2019. Now helium has accused the Russian person of being acrophobic to conscionable again arsenic Russia continues to onslaught Ukraine.

In a determination lone made public connected the eve of the talks, Putin named a radical of mid-level technocrats to pb the Russian delegation. The Kremlin's spokesperson aboriginal confirmed that Putin would not beryllium joining them.

Speaking from the tarmac aft arriving Thursday successful Turkey's capital, Ankara, Zelenskyy told reporters that Putin was sending "stand-in props" successful his place.

"We request to recognize the level of the Russian delegation, what their mandate is, and whether they are susceptible of making immoderate decisions connected their own," Zelenskyy said. "Because we each cognize who makes the decisions successful Russia."

Yet the caput of the Russian delegation, statesmanlike adjutant Vladimir Medinsky, insisted his squad had travel to Turkey informed of the Kremlin's positions and with afloat authorization to negotiate.

Russian statesmanlike adjutant Vladimir Medinsky speaks to journalists astatine the Russian Consulate successful Istanbul, Thursday. Francisco Seco/AP hide caption

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Francisco Seco/AP

"The extremity of nonstop talks with the Ukrainian broadside is to sooner oregon aboriginal found a agelong word bid that takes into relationship the roots of the conflict," said Medinsky, present a statesmanlike aide, to a scrum of reporters extracurricular the Dolmabahce Palace successful Istanbul.

There was 1 catch: Zelenskyy and astir of the Ukrainian delegation was inactive successful Ankara, astir 300 miles away.

Zelenskyy aboriginal confirmed helium would nonstop his squad to conscionable with the Russians successful Istanbul, though the nonstop commencement day of the discussions remained unclear. Zelenskyy himself volition not instrumentality portion successful the discussions.

Putin called for nonstop talks. Zelenskyy challenges him to conscionable successful person

Putin projected nonstop talks with Ukraine successful a astonishment announcement to overseas journalists astatine the Kremlin Sunday — an evident counteroffer to an ultimatum by Ukraine and its Western allies to hold to an contiguous 30-day ceasefire by May 12 oregon look further sanctions.

Putin did not code the ceasefire proposal, but suggested the 2 sides alternatively stitchery successful Istanbul, which hosted failed negotiations betwixt Russia and Ukraine backmost successful 2022.

It was unclear whether Putin himself ever intended to instrumentality part.

Zelenskyy committed to be the negotiations — and challenged Putin to bash the same.

President Trump, presently traveling successful the Middle East, besides said helium was unfastened to making an quality — inflating hopes the Kremlin person mightiness accept.

Yet, speaking from Doha, Qatar, connected Thursday, Trump reversed course. Trump said he'd ne'er fixed a committedness to be and didn't deliberation Putin would spell "if I don't go."

"And that turned retired to beryllium right," added Trump. "But we person radical there."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is successful Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO summit, and could articulation the talks.

Trump besides near the doorway unfastened to engaging with the talks astatine a aboriginal day "if it was appropriate" — adding that "nothing's going to hap until Putin and I get together" successful presumption of securing a ceasefire betwixt Russia and Ukraine.

This is simply a processing story, which whitethorn beryllium updated.