Summit without Putin and Trump: Who is negotiating peace in Istanbul?

Summit without Putin and Trump: Who is negotiating peace in Istanbul?

Istanbul, Türkei - On May 15, 2025, planned peace talks on Ukraine take place in Istanbul, but without the expected participants Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. According to Exxpress , the presidential office in Moscow has not published a list on which Putin's name is not to be found. A US government agent confirmed that Trump would not take part in the talks after he had learned from Putin's absence in Moscow. This comes as a surprise, since Trump had previously promised to participate in the negotiations that depended on the presence of Putin and Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj.

While Putin does not meet his obligation, Ukrainian President Selenskyj indicated that he was on the way to Turkey. However, it is unclear whether he will actually travel to Istanbul, where the conversations take place. At the weekend, Selenskyj Putin had asked to take part in the negotiations "if he is not afraid". Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had also tried in vain to move Putin to participate, which further complicated the diplomatic efforts in the region.

composition of the delegations

The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinski, the president's advisor, and Alexander Fomin, the Deputy Minister of Defense. Both were involved in the failed talks in the early weeks after Russia's invasion into Ukraine in 2022. Furthermore, Mikhail Galuzin, the deputy foreign minister, and Igor Kostjukow, the director of Russian foreign intelligence, take part in the negotiations.

The course remains uncertain on the Ukrainian side, since Selenskyj has expressed his willingness to personally negotiate with Putin, but depends on the participation of the Russian president. The direct confrontation and discussion between the two parties to the dispute has not been carried out in the current form since 2022, which reinforces the urgency of these conversations.

diplomatic challenges

Despite the intensive willingness to find a solution, the conflict is under great pressure. The war, which began in 2014 with the annexation of the Crimea and later led to a comprehensive military conflict, could again endanger the lack of its main actors. As the time , Selenskyj and his allies had repeatedly asked Putin to take part in the conversations, but this has so far been outrageous.

It remains questionable whether the talks in Istanbul can lead to a positive result without the two key players. The conflict is complex and shaped by deep distrust. Historical attempts to make peace, such as the Minsk agreements from 2015, have not been implemented, while the geopolitical tensions continue to increase. According to swp progress is only possible if Russia gives up its military ambitions and the Ukraine is recognized its sovereignty.