Behind the Diplomatic Curtain: Why Putin Refused to Meet Zelensky in Istanbul

As expected, Vladimir Putin did not travel to Istanbul for the Ukraine talks. Donald Trump also canceled, and yet there remains a vague hope that negotiations on a ceasefire could begin.

Behind the Diplomatic Curtain: Why Putin Refused to Meet Zelensky in Istanbul

President Vladimir Putin never planned to accept Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky’s offer to meet one-on-one in Istanbul, sources in the Russian government and the Foreign Ministry and people close to the Kremlin have told The Moscow Times.  The fact that the Kremlin kept Putin’s travel plans shrouded in secrecy until the night before the first direct contact between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in three years underscores Moscow’s re

Ignoring the peace process could have serious economic consequences for the Russian Federation.

Russian President Putin has proposed peace talks with Ukraine himself, but does not participate. Instead, he sends negotiators who have little to say. A power game that is also related to Putin's view of Selenskyj. [more]

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin "proved to be a coward" for refusing to accept an offer from his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, to negotiate with him in Istanbul a solution to the war caused by Russian aggression.

Analysis: Putin bet big, but loses to ZelenskyyPresident Vladimir Putin bet. And lost. Thursday's much-talked-about meeting in Istanbul will be without all the main characters. Putin is not coming. That's why k