Zelenskyy urges Trump to attend peace talks, but Putin's plans still unclear

ISTANBUL: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine appealed to US President Trump on Tuesday to meet him this week for peace talks, saying it would put pressure on President Vladimir Putin of Russia to attend, but he cast doubt on Putin's desire for either talks or peace.

The Kremlin on Tuesday declined to say whether Putin would travel to a meeting in Turkiye, where peace talks are set for Thursday in Istanbul. "As soon as the president sees it fit, we will announce" the delegation's makeup, said the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry S Peskov.

Zelenskyy said of Trump: "If he were to confirm his participation, I think it would give an additional push for Putin to come." Trump said on Tuesday that he would send secretary of state Marco Rubio to Istanbul and has also offered to attend. Trump is also sending senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, three sources familiar with the plans said.

The talks have taken on growing importance as Russia, Ukraine and the US have weighed in and goaded each other, each time raising the stakes. Over the weekend, Putin called for direct talks with Ukraine, while ignoring demands by Kyiv and its allies to agree to an immediate ceasefire by Monday or face further sanctions.

Trump publicly prodded Zelenskyy to accept the offer of negotiations, but the Ukrainian president went a step ahead on Monday, saying he would travel to Turkiye for a face-to-face meeting and challenging Putin to do the same.

On Tuesday, speaking to journalists in Kyiv, Zelensky said he and Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be waiting for Putin in Ankara, the Turkish capital, but would also be ready to travel to any city Putin chooses.

"If Putin is truly ready, not just in the media but in real life, to meet, then at the leaders' level, we will do everything to agree on a ceasefire," he added.

"Because it is with him that I must negotiate a ceasefire. He is the only one who decides." Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, said on Tuesday Trump had made clear he "expects" both Zelensky and Putin to be present for talks in Turkiye.

(This is a Reuters story)