'Does not genuinely want to end war': Zelenskyy after Putin skips Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyyon Thursday announced that a high-level Ukrainian delegation is participating in fresh talks with Russia in Istanbul, with the central aim of negotiating a ceasefire. However, Zelenskyy expressed deep scepticism over Moscow's intentions, warning that Russia "does not genuinely want to end the war."The talks are being hosted by Turkiye and are scheduled to begin today, according to a Turkish foreign ministry official cited by the German news agency dpa, as reported by DW News.In a strongly worded post on X, Zelenskyy thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his support of Ukraine's territorial integrity, particularly his recognition of Crimea as Ukrainian territory. He praised the Turkish side for welcoming Ukraine's delegation "at the highest level," noting that Ankara's engagement reflected serious diplomatic intent.The Ukrainian delegation is being led by defence minister Rustem Umerov and includes senior military and intelligence officials. However, key figures such as the head of the security service and the chief of the general staff will not be attending."We demonstrated the strength and seriousness of our delegation," Zelenskyy said, listing the inclusion of top defence, intelligence, and diplomatic figures. "Unfortunately, after learning the composition of the Russian delegation, it became clear that they are not approaching real talks seriously."Zelenskyy criticised the "extremely low level" of the Russian delegation, saying that it reflects Moscow's lack of genuine commitment to peace. "I remain convinced that Russia is not serious about these meetings and does not genuinely want to end the war," he said. "But we'll see if they are willing to show at least something during the discussions."Despite his misgivings, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would proceed with the talks out of respect for President Erdogan, US President Donald Trump, and other high-level international efforts to broker peace."The mandate for our delegation is clear: ceasefire is priority number one," he said. "Out of a sincere desire to take at least the first steps toward de-escalation and ending the war, I have decided to send a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul."This marks a rare moment of direct engagement between Kyiv and Moscow since the collapse of earlier negotiations. The war, now in its third year, has left tens of thousands dead and caused massive destruction across Ukraine, with no clear end in sight.