Will Putin be in Türkiye for peace talks? The Kremlin menu does not indicate.

On Wednesday, Russia issued a list of officials who will attend Peace talks with Ukraine In Türkiye. But the main person was missing: President Vladimir F. Putin.

The absence in the list of the Russian leader, who ordered the full invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which started the war, was a strong indication that Mr. Putin will not come with his face this week with President Voludimir Zellinsky from Ukraine, who called “A” killer. The Kremlin said that Mr. Putin himself signed the delegation.

President Trump, who began to pay peace talks before restoring the White House, said in the past that he would look at joining the meeting in Türkiye.

“I was already thinking about flying there,” Mr. Trump told reporters at a White House press conference on Monday.

But on Wednesday, Mr. Trump, who is on a tour of three countries in the Middle East, indicated that, he will also go beyond the talks and visit the United Arab Emirates instead. But he said that Foreign Minister Marco Rubio would attend.

“Tomorrow, we have all booked, you understand it,” Mr. Trump told reporters on Wednesday. “We will go to the United Arab Emirates tomorrow. So we have a very complete position. Now this does not mean that I will not do it to save a lot of lives and return. But, yes, I was thinking about it.”

From Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump added: “I don’t know that there will be if I am not there. We will discover. Marco is going and Marco was very effective.” Along with Mr. Rubio, Stephen Witkev and Keith Keel Keel’s envoys are expected to travel to Türkiye.

in Social media publication On Wednesday, Mr. Zellinski said he was “awaiting knowledge of who will come from Russia” before deciding the steps that Ukraine must take regarding peace talks. He also urged the “strongest” Western sanctions against Russia if Mr. Putin rejected the meeting.

The Kremlin said that the Russian delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinski, a militant assistant to Mr. Putin. This will also include Deputy Minister of Defense Alexander Fateno, who was part of the Russian delegation in talks between Moscow and Kiev in the weeks that followed the invasion of 2022; And other senior military and intelligence officials.

The risks of both sides cannot be the largest land war in Europe since World War II.

After more than three years of war, Mr. Putin’s message to the rest of the world is that Russia wins the battlefield. But her soldiers and brigades were ExhaustedMoscow is struggling to replace it Destroyed equipmentAnalysts said.

The Ukrainian forces, which have made a bold invasion to the Russian Korsk region in August 2024, have withdrew almost since then. They were also steadily losing in the east of their country. Since Mr. Trump has paid peace talks, Kiev confirmed that he needs security guarantees from the United States. Ukraine even A deal signed Last month, which gives America a share of future revenue from its rare land reserves. However, the final deal did not include explicit guarantees for US security assistance in the future.

With the growth of pressure for peace, the White House said in March that Ukraine and Russia agreed to this Stop fighting in the Black Sea And work on details to stop the strikes on energy facilities. Later that month, after holding meetings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ukraine said it would support the Trump administration’s proposal The ceasefire for 30 days. This gave a new momentum to the armistice negotiations, which have been stuck yet A general confrontation in the White House Between Mr. Zellinski and Mr. Trump.

Then, in April, Mr. Putin announced “Easter truce,, “The order of his forces” to stop all military activity “against Ukraine for vacation. It was clear that he was aiming to show the Trump administration Sabr that Moscow is still open to peace talks. Mr. Zellinski said that Ukraine would commit to landing as long as Russia, but Kaif said that Moscow said Moscow. Break her armistice.

After Mr. Trump expressed his frustration with Russia’s refusal to stop the war, Mr. Putin ordered Three -day To start on May 8, in order to put a mark May 9 Celebrating the victory of the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany in World War II. Mr. Zelinski described this pledge as “manipulation“

Britain and France promised a crowd.Al -Raghiba AllianceTo secure a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Then he gave a coalition of European allies Russia Deadline This month to agree to the ceasefire for 30 days or face new penalties.

In his post on social media on Wednesday, the Ukrainian president said he was “ready for any form of negotiations” with Russia in Türkiye.

“Russia only extends the war and killing,” added Mr. Zelinski. “I would like to thank every country, every leader now under pressure on Russia, so that the bombing finally stops.”

Cicley Wedgeworth and Neil McFarqar The reports contributed.