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President Trump has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s absence from peace talks in Turkey was expected, arguing that Putin would not attend without him being present.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, last week Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed holding peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey, raising hopes for a potential diplomatic breakthrough in the ongoing war. However, despite initiating the proposal, Putin later declined to attend the talks in person, instead appointing a top aide and several deputy ministers to represent Russia. President Zelensky had agreed to the talks and expressed readiness for a direct, face-to-face meeting with Putin, calling such a meeting essential for any meaningful progress. Zelensky ultimately criticized Russia’s decision to send a lower-level delegation as “theatrical,” questioning whether they had any real authority to negotiate. Many Western countries have framed Putin’s refusal to appear in person as a sign that Russia was not genuinely committed to advancing peace.
What’s going on now: While speaking to reporters in Qatar, President Trump addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s absence from the Turkey peace talks, claiming it was due to his own decision not to attend. “I actually said, ‘Why would he go if I’m not going?’ I would go, but I wasn’t planning to go, and I said, ‘I don’t think he’s going to go if I don’t go.'” Later, aboard Air Force One, Trump reiterated his belief that progress in negotiations was unlikely without his direct involvement, stating, “Nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is in Turkey for the talks, echoed Trump’s comments, noting that a meeting between Trump and Putin would likely need to take place. He added that the United States would “stand by Ukraine and to ensure that we get a just and lasting, enduring peace. He [Trump] wants to end wars and that’s the hope with Russia and Ukraine. We’ll see what happens over the next couple of days in that regard, but we want to see progress made.”
This all comes amid growing frustration from international leaders over what they say is Russia’s unwillingness to seriously engage in peace efforts. French President Emmanuel Macron warned that “new sanctions against Russia” would be imposed in the coming days if Moscow refused to implement a ceasefire, specifically mentioning financial services and the energy sector as likely targets. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed this sentiment, stating that European allies were preparing a “significant tightening of sanctions” should Putin continue to stall.
