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.

Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv will send a delegation led by defence minister Rustem Umerov for direct talks with a Russian team in Istanbul. During a press conference in Ankara following a meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan,

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

The absence of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump from the talks has dampened hopes of a significant breakthrough in resolving the conflict.

Vladimir Putin is afraid over being assassinated if he meets with Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey on Thursday.The 72-year-old tyrant has escalated security measures and remains ensconced within his Kremlin stronghold,