Ukraine had framed Zelensky's demand for a face-to-face meeting with Putin as a test of Russia's true willingness to negotiate peace. Arriving in Turkey, he slammed the Russian delegation as "theatrical" and contrasted it to Ukraine's high-level group.

Russian officials have already been preparing for Putin to reject the meeting, with Moscow claiming a sit-down with Zelensky would only amount to “pure spectacle.”

A meeting of Ukrainian, Russian, American, and Turkish delegations may take place in Istanbul on Thursday evening or Friday. — Ukrinform.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday he had the impression Russia sent a "dummy" delegation with an unclear mandate to Turkey for the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in over three years.

Watch live as Volodymyr Zelensky holds a press conference after Vladimir Putin shuned Russia Ukraine peace talks in Turkey on Thursday (15 May).Mr Zelensky derided Russia’s delegation for peace talks in Istanbul as “stand-in props”,

President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized that Ukraine’s territorial integrity is enshrined in the Constitution, making any discussions on the status of temporarily occupied territories, including Crimea,

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday, and only then decide what steps to take on peace talks with Russia, a senior official told AFP.