On May 15, 2025, hopes for a major diplomatic breakthrough in the war between Russia and Ukraine were dashed when Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to appear for a planned face-to-face meeting in Turkey with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The peace summit, which was supposed to mark the first direct talks between the two nations in more than three years, quickly unraveled when the Kremlin sent a low-level delegation instead of its top leadership.
The Ukrainian side had high expectations, especially after President Zelenskyy challenged Putin to meet directly. He traveled to Ankara, Turkey’s capital, prepared to negotiate an end to the war. Instead, Zelenskyy found himself waiting alone. “There won’t be any negotiations,” Zelenskyy said during a press conference at the Ukrainian embassy in Ankara. “Even my delegation has no mandate to decide anything.”
NP Editor: Remember that Trump was initially misinformed by his advisors, expecting Putin to make a phone call and be subservient in peace talks. But in actuality Putin has leverage, he only needs to sit on his hands and wait for Ukraine to crumble. And then he can wait more while the European economy continues to sink. Putin is in not hurry and he has everything to gain. He wants everything that he already has, and perhaps a bit more.
Russia Sends a Team Without Power
Rather than attend the talks himself, Putin dispatched Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister who also led the failed 2022 negotiations. Zelenskyy made it clear he saw the delegation as meaningless. He accused the Kremlin of sending officials “who do not make decisions,” calling the move evidence that Russia is not interested in ending the conflict.
Zelenskyy’s office sent a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul anyway, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. The goal, according to Zelenskyy, was to “attempt at least the first steps toward de-escalation, the first steps toward ending the war – namely, a ceasefire.” But without someone at the table who can actually negotiate, real progress was unlikely.
Trump Tries to Save Face
President Donald Trump, who had pushed hard for the meeting and even considered attending if Putin did, downplayed the snub. While in Qatar on a Middle East trip, Trump told reporters, “I actually said, ‘Why would he go if I’m not going?’ I would go, but I wasn’t planning to go, and I said, ‘I don’t think he’s going to go if I don’t go.’”
Even so, Trump made it clear he wants a peaceful resolution to the war. He later added, “Nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.” Trump’s comments suggest that he believes the only path to ending the conflict is through a direct meeting between the two of them.
Still, Trump’s diplomatic efforts are beginning to look increasingly one-sided. The Wall Street Journal editorial board noted that “Mr. Putin’s no-show is the latest evidence that the Russian isn’t serious about ending the war.” The article also pointed out that “Mr. Trump doesn’t want the world to see him looking like a supplicant to the Kremlin.”
Marco Rubio: Only a Trump-Putin Meeting Will Matter
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, made it clear that he doesn’t expect much from the Istanbul meetings. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Rubio said, “The only way to have a breakthrough is a meeting between President Trump and Putin.” Rubio explained that Trump is becoming impatient with the ongoing war and wants a clear path toward resolution.
Rubio also said that he would meet with Ukrainian officials in Turkey and reaffirmed Trump’s commitment to trying to end the conflict. He said, “We’re in a very difficult spot right now, and we hope that we can find the steps forward that provide for the end of this war in a negotiated way and the prevention of any war in the future.”
Europe Reacts to Putin’s Empty Chair
Leaders across Europe expressed frustration and disappointment over Putin’s absence. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot commented that “In front of Ukrainians there is an empty chair, one that should have been occupied by Vladimir Putin.” Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen was even more direct, saying, “We have one chair empty, which is the chair of Vladimir Putin. So now I guess the entire world has realized that there’s only one party not willing to engage in serious peace negotiations, and that certainly is Russia.”
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called the situation “a slap in the face,” referring to Putin’s decision to send junior officials instead of showing up himself.
Why Putin Walked Away
It is still not entirely clear why Putin refused to attend. Earlier in the week, Putin had proposed direct talks with Ukraine. In response, Zelenskyy publicly challenged him to meet in person. But as the date approached, the Kremlin gave no formal answer to Zelenskyy’s challenge. Instead, Putin held a meeting in Moscow with top defense and national security officials, including General Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that the meeting was in preparation for the talks.
Despite this, the delegation that arrived in Istanbul was limited in power and authority. The Kremlin described the talks as a “restart” of the 2022 negotiations, but few believed the situation was the same. At that time, Ukraine was reeling from the initial invasion. Now, the conditions on the battlefield have shifted, and Ukraine is in no mood to accept what it sees as ultimatums.
War Continues as Russia Prepares New Offensive
Putin’s refusal to attend also comes amid signs that Russia is preparing for a new military offensive. Over the winter, Russian forces gained some territory in eastern Ukraine, but they did so with heavy casualties and no major breakthroughs. Analysts believe that Russia may be planning a summer push, hoping that Ukraine will run out of American-supplied munitions in the coming weeks.
Since Trump’s inauguration, Russia has launched 346 missiles and more than 13,000 drones at Ukraine, according to data from the Institute for the Study of War. Late last month, a Russian missile attack on Kyiv killed several civilians, prompting Trump to post on social media, “Vladimir, STOP!”
So far, Putin has not listened.
Next Steps: Pressure and Strength
The failure of the Istanbul talks has sparked new discussion about whether stronger pressure on Moscow is needed. Trump is considering additional sanctions, particularly secondary sanctions on countries that continue to buy Russian oil. Eric Van Nostrand, a former chief economist at the U.S. Treasury, recently wrote that if the U.S. removed just a quarter of Russian oil from global markets, it could reduce Russia’s oil revenue by 20 percent. According to Van Nostrand, global oil production is currently high enough that this move would not significantly raise gas prices in the U.S.
Trump is also weighing new military aid to Ukraine, in order to help the country strengthen its position before any future negotiations. As one Trump adviser put it, “Peace through strength” is still the most effective way forward.
