
Putin skips Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul. So who will represent Russia?
In a final confirmation on Wednesday night, the Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not attending the peace talks with Ukraine, scheduled for Thursday in Turkey's Istanbul, despite calls from his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy to attend the direct talks, BBC reported.
After much deliberations about who would attend the talks in Istanbul, the Kremlin late on Wednesday night confirmed that the Russian delegation will be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. It would have been the first direct talks between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia.
Earlier, the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had said he would surely attend the meeting in Turkey and would meet Putin face-to-face if the Russian president agrees, adding that he would ensure direct talks with Putin if arrives in Istanbul.
Today we held several meetings with the team regarding the format in Türkiye. I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing.
We also hear that President Trump is… pic.twitter.com/DurxIKaMih
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 14, 2025
Zelenskyy would be in Turkey's capital Ankara on Thursday where he is poised to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Putin and Zelenskyy have not met each other since December 2019, and direct talks between Russia and Ukraine haven't taken place since March 2022, a month after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Kyiv.
According to a Euro News report, Russia would also be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, and Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU) chief Igor Kostyukov. Reports also confirmed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov won't attend the meeting in Istanbul.
It was Putin who had initially called for a direct talk with Ukraine in Istanbul 'without any pre-condition' and Zelenskyy had announced he would attend the meeting in-person, and expected the Russian leader to travel as well.
In a social media post, Zelenskyy wrote 'There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally.'
US President Donald Trump had also floated an idea of attending the meeting in Istanbul as he is on a four-day trip to Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar. Though no confirmation had come from Trump administration whether the president would attend the meeting or not.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Los Angeles ICE raids fuel controversy over masked agents
* Masked ICE agents raise concerns about lack of accountability * ICE leaders say masks are vital to protect agents' safety * Debate comes as violence erupts in Los Angeles after immigration raids WASHINGTON, - Images of federal immigration agents wearing masks and balaclavas as they conduct raids in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities have ignited a politically charged debate over whether they are protecting their identities or engaging in intimidation tactics. Violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement in Los Angeles during the weekend were triggered by masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers rounding up alleged immigration offenders. Democratic lawmakers and civil rights groups say masks are an attempt by ICE agents to escape accountability for their actions and are aimed at frightening immigrants as they carry out Republican President Donald Trump's directive to crack down on illegal immigration. Republicans and ICE officials assert the face coverings are necessary to protect agents and their families from being targeted by "doxxing," in which their home addresses and personal information are posted online. "People are out there taking photos of the names, their faces, and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves," Todd Lyons, the acting ICE chief, said last week. There are no federal rules or laws forbidding mask-wearing by law enforcement personnel, although historically they have been used to protect the identities of agents during undercover operations, said Jerry Robinette, a former ICE special agent in charge. Armed masked ICE agents have also been seen arresting people in cities besides Los Angeles, often in plain clothes that sometimes lack clear identifying markings. One of the most notable arrests by ICE officials came in March when Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk was confronted by several masked, plain-clothed agents on a street in a Boston suburb. Her arrest and terrified reaction were captured in a video that went viral. Ozturk, arrested after co-writing an opinion piece criticizing her school's response to Israel's war in Gaza, was released from ICE detention in May after a judge's order. Masked ICE agents have been filmed arresting workers at a restaurant in San Diego and a gardener at a house in Massachusetts. ICE officers were prominently seen wearing masks during arrests at courthouses across the U.S. last month. INCREASED MASK USE IN TRUMP'S SECOND TERM Scott Shuchart, a top ICE policy official under former Democratic President Joe Biden, said it appeared ICE officers had increased the use of face coverings and tactical gear since Trump took office. Shuchart said an officer concealing their identity goes against typical American law enforcement practices. "In general, law enforcement personnel need to have name patches, badge numbers, or other indicia that the public can see and use to file complaints and ensure accountability and oversight," Shuchart said. Three former U.S. officials dealing with immigration enforcement, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they did not recall ICE officers routinely using face masks while Biden was in office from 2021-2025. Mask-wearing by law enforcement agents is more common in countries such as Mexico and Russia with high levels of organized crime or political unrest, or during counter-terrorism operations in countries including France. Boston's Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu was criticized by the Trump administration last week when she compared masked ICE agents to the "secret police" and a neo-Nazi group. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of ICE, called Wu's rhetoric dangerous. "Make no mistake, this type of rhetoric is contributing to the surge in assaults of ICE officers through their repeated vilification and demonization of ICE," McLaughlin said. DOXXING Trump's border czar Tom Homan, speaking to Reuters in May, defended ICE officers using face coverings. "They've been doxxed repeatedly," Homan said. "I should know because I've been doxxed a thousand times myself." Homan cited an April protest outside his home in upstate New York after ICE arrested a mother and her three children on a dairy farm. The debate over ICE masks has also erupted on Capitol Hill. Last week the Democrats' House of Representatives leader, Hakeem Jeffries, denounced the practice, saying ICE agents were trying to conceal their identities from the American people. Jeffries and others believe unidentifiable law enforcement officials are difficult to hold accountable when misconduct is alleged. He vowed that the masked ICE agents would be identified "no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes." His comments were decried by his Republican counterpart, House Speaker Mike Johnson. "They need to back off of ICE and respect our agents and stop protesting against them," Johnson told Fox News.


Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Army to get new air defence boost with Rs 30,000 crore QR-SAM deal
NEW DELHI: The defence ministry will soon take up the case for a preliminary nod to a Rs 30,000 crore proposal to procure three regiments of the new indigenous quick reaction surface to air missile (QR-SAM) systems for the Army. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Rajnath Singh-led defence acquisitions council will consider granting acceptance of necessity (AoN) for the highly-mobile QR-SAM systems, which are designed to intercept hostile fighters, helicopters and drones at a range up to 25-30 km, later this month. The move comes soon after India's existing multi-layered air defence network played a crucial role in thwarting multiple waves of Turkish-origin drones and Chinese missiles launched by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor - the May 7-10 hostilities. The and the Army have over the last three-four years tested the QR-SAM systems against high-speed aerial targets mimicking various types of threats to evaluate their capability under different day and night operational scenarios. Defence PSUs Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics will co-produce the QR-SAM systems. "The QR-SAM systems can operate on the move with search and track capability and fire at short halts. They are tailor-made to move along with tanks and infantry combat vehicles to provide them air defence in the tactical battlefield," an official said. The Army Air Defence (AAD), which performed exceedingly well during Operation Sindoor, in fact, requires 11 regiments of the QR-SAM, even as it progressively also inducts regiments of the indigenous Akash system, which has an interception range of about 25-km at present. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The induction of the QR-SAM systems will add to the existing air defence network of the IAF and the Army, which ranges from the long-range Russian S-400 'Triumf' surface-to-air missile systems (380 km interception range) and Barak-8 medium range SAM systems (70 km), jointly developed with Israel, to the Russian shoulder-fired Igla-S missiles (6 km), the upgraded L-70 anti-aircraft guns (3.5 km) and the indigenous integrated drone detection and interdiction systems (1km-2 km). While the DRDO is also readying the very short-range air defence missile systems (VSHORADS), which have a 6 km interception range, the real game-changer will be an air defence system with a 350 km range being developed under the ambitious Project Kusha. India plans to operationally deploy this long-range system by 2028-2029, with the defence ministry in Sept 2023 approving the AoN for procurement of five of its squadrons for the IAF at a cost of Rs 21,700 crore, as was first reported by TOI. Also read:


NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Russia, Ukraine Swap First Prisoners In Large-Scale Exchange
Moscow: Russia and Ukraine on Monday swapped a first group of captured soldiers -- part of an agreement reached during peace talks that appeared to be in doubt over the weekend. The deal to exchange prisoners of war and repatriate the bodies of killed fighters was the only concrete agreement reached at the talks, which have failed to lead to a breakthrough towards ending the three-year war. Progress has stalled. Russia has issued tough conditions for halting its invasion and has repeatedly rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire. "Today an exchange began, which will continue in several stages over the coming days," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media. He posted images of soldiers draped in Ukrainian flags, cheering and hugging. "Among those we are bringing back now are the wounded, the severely wounded, and those under the age of 25," he added. Russia's defence ministry also confirmed the swap was part of "agreements reached on 2 June in Istanbul". Neither side said how many prisoners were released. After the talks in Istanbul, both said it would involve more than 1,000 captured soldiers, making it the largest exchange of the three-year war. The swap itself had appeared in jeopardy over the weekend, when Moscow and Kyiv traded accusations of delaying and thwarting the planned exchange. Mr Zelensky accused Russia on Sunday of playing a "dirty, political game" and of not sticking to the agreed parameters -- to free all captured soldiers that are sick, wounded or under the age of 25. Russia said Kyiv was refusing to take back bodies of dead soldiers, 1,200 of which it said were waiting in refrigerated trucks near the border. Talks 'Pointless' Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered the biggest European conflict since World War II, forced millions to flee their homes and decimated much of eastern and southern Ukraine. Pressed by US President Donald Trump to end the conflict, the two sides have opened direct negotiations for the first time in more than three years in search of an agreement. But they appear as far apart as ever from an agreement. In Istanbul on June 2, Russia demanded Ukraine withdraw its forces from areas still under its control, recognise Moscow's annexation of five Ukrainian regions and renounce all Western military support. Kyiv is seeking a full ceasefire and a summit between Mr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mr Trump to try to break the impasse. While welcoming POW exchanges, Mr Zelensky said last week said it was "pointless" to hold further talks with the current Russian delegation -- who he previously dismissed as "empty heads" -- since they could not agree to a ceasefire. Meanwhile fighting on the front lines and in the skies has intensified. Russia said on Sunday its troops had crossed into Ukraine's industrial Dnipropetrovsk region for the first time in its campaign -- a potentially key advance given that Moscow has not put forward a territorial claim to that region. war And Moscow launched a record 479 drones at Ukraine overnight, Kyiv's air force said on Monday. The Ukrainian mayor of the western city of Rivne, Oleksandr Tretyak, called it "the largest attack" on the region since the start of the war. Russia said it had targeted an airfield near the village of Dubno in the Rivne region. It called the attack "one of the retaliatory strikes" for a brazen drone attack by Ukraine on June 1 against Russian military jets stationed at air bases thousands of kilometres (miles) behind the front line. Kyiv also claimed responsibility for an attack on a Russian electronics factory overnight, saying it manufactured parts for drones. Russian officials said the site had been forced to temporarily suspend production after a Ukrainian drone attack.