Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday a proposed meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could be skipped if an agreement on a ceasefire between the two countries is agreed during technical talks in Istanbul.

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.

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.

By bne IntelliNews Russian president Vladimir Putin was a no-show at direct talks he proposed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and sent a low-level delegation instead that didn't include a single minister,

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.

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.

Military experts have warned the Russian president's war-machine could be fully rebuilt to strength and made ready to attack NATO neighbours by 2027 if a peace deal is struck in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said there’ll be no resolution of Russia’s war in Ukraine until he meets with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as a delegation from Kyiv set off to Istanbul for potential ceasefire talks with Moscow counterparts.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin must respond to the ceasefire proposal in Ukraine by the end of the day, The Guardian reports. According to German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius, "the clock is ticking" for Russia.