Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy never proposed a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.It was the Kremlin leader who suggested direct talks in Istanbul to avoid a ceasefire, stated Zelenskyy during a press conference.

ISTANBUL − Russia's Vladimir Putin spurned a challenge to meet face-to-face with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Turkey, instead sending a second-tier delegation to planned peace talks, while Ukraine's president said his defence minister would head up Kyiv's team.

A meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is the “only way” to move forward with talks on ending the war in Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday. Rubio’s remarks come as a highly anticipated meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Turkey was downgraded and moved to Friday,

Russian President Vladimir Putin did not show up for the negotiations, even though he initiated them himself. Ukraine will not run around the world looking for him, according to a press conference by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy went to Turkey for direct talks with Russia. But the Kremlin sent a lower-level delegation that doesn't include President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is prepared to meet Vladimir Putin this week, shortly after US President Donald Trump urged him to “immediately” accept the Russian leader’s offer to hold peace talks in Turkey.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin is not ready for direct negotiations with Ukraine. His claims of being open to dialogue are just empty talk, stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference.

Moscow’s massacres of Ukrainian civilians blew apart any semblance of good faith as Washington pushed for talks