Putin rejects Zelensky meeting: Peace talks stalled

On May 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin declined a face‑to‑face meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Turkey, instead dispatching a lower‑level delegation to the planned peace talks in Istanbul. Zelenskiy, who was in Ankara, described the delegation as "decorative" and a sign that Putin was not serious about ending the war. Ukraine announced that its defense minister would lead a team to Istanbul to discuss a ceasefire. Russia claimed its delegation was ready for serious work and accused Ukraine of staging a show, while U.S. President Donald Trump said no progress would be made without a meeting between him and Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was too early to determine whether Putin would attend future talks.