Neither Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or Russian President Vladimir Putin are attending peace talks in Istanbul after days of confusion. In a meeting in Albania, Zelensky said Putin was “afraid” to come to Turkey for talks and that Russian delegation in Istanbul is of a “very low level.

A low-level Russian team has been dispatched to Istanbul, but direct talks with Ukraine are still uncertain.

The absence of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump from the talks has dampened hopes of a significant breakthrough in resolving the conflict.

President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, began in Ankara on May 15, Turkey's state news agency Anadolu reported.

The United States delegation to the Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul is not an escort group for Kiev. This was stated by Verkhovna Rada deputy Alexander Dubinsky.

Ukraine had framed Zelensky's demand for a face-to-face meeting with Putin as a test of Russia's true willingness to negotiate peace. Arriving in Turkey, he slammed the Russian delegation as "theatrical" and contrasted it to Ukraine's high-level group.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him in Turkey this week to begin negotiations to end the three-year war between their countries. But he

The Russian president abruptly canceled plans to meet face-to-face with Zelensky in Turkey last week. President Zelenskyy, left, and Vice President Vance greet each other as Secretary of State Rubio, center, looks on at St. Peter's Square Sunday. AP/Gregorio Borgia

Volodymyr Zelensky will only meet with Vladimir Putin for peace talks in Turkey on Thursday and not other lesser ranking Russian officials, a senior Ukrainian official said.

Ukraine is working on a previously agreed-upon 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 21. "We have to release all our people, unconditionally. We are trying to do the maximum we can.