Ukraine Peace Talks: Putin not on list of officials attending; NATO, Trump envoy present

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the names of senior officials who will lead and support Russia’s delegation in a fresh round of talks with Ukraine, set to take place in Istanbul today, May 15.

Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky will head the Russian side, joined by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, and Igor Kostyukov, head of the General Staff’s Main Directorate.

Putin has also appointed a four-member expert panel to aid the delegation:
– Alexander Zorin, First Deputy Head of the General Staff’s Information Department
– Yelena Podobreyevskaya, Deputy Head of the Presidential Directorate for Humanitarian Policy
– Alexey Polishchuk, Director of the Second CIS Department at the Foreign Ministry
– Viktor Shevtsov, Deputy Head of the Defence Ministry’s International Military Cooperation Directorate

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirmed that “the discussions with Ukraine will resume on Thursday in Istanbul,” adding that the Russian delegation will address both technical and political issues. The revival of negotiations comes after a two-year break since talks were halted in 2022, reportedly on the advice of then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Zelenskyy, Erdogan to meet; Putin’s presence uncertain

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also expected in Turkey today, where he will hold a separate meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

Zelenskyy, however, has not confirmed if he will engage in direct talks with the Russian delegation. “I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing,” he posted late Wednesday night.

While Putin is not on the delegation list, there remains speculation about his possible presence in Istanbul. US President Donald Trump added to the uncertainty while en route to Qatar from Saudi Arabia, saying, “He’d like me to be there, and that’s a possibility. I don’t know that he would be there if I’m not there. We’re going to find out.”

NATO leaders push for 5% defence spending

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Antalya, Turkey, to lay the groundwork for the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague on June 25. The talks are expected to define the future of European security amid America’s growing strategic focus elsewhere.

Rubio and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff are due in Istanbul on Friday for the Ukraine-Russia discussions, after accompanying Trump on his Gulf trip.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met Rubio in Antalya. Sybiha also held talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on ceasefire possibilities and long-term peace with Russia.

Although Ukraine continues to push for NATO membership, immediate movement on that front appears unlikely. Trump, aligning with Russia’s objection, has reportedly opposed Ukraine’s entry into the alliance.

Of greater concern for the Trump administration is NATO defence spending. Washington is now calling on member states to commit at least 5 per cent of GDP to national defence. This would be a dramatic increase from the existing 2 per cent target adopted in 2023. So far, 22 of the 32 member nations have met the current benchmark.

NATO leaders are expected to formalise the new target during their summit next month.

(With inputs from agencies)