Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused to attend peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, prompting criticism from Kyiv in response to Moscow’s decision to send a “sham delegation” and casting doubt over the first direct negotiations between the two countries since 2022.

Ukrainian sources now say Moscow demanded that the United States not be present at the talks, which they claim is a sign that Russia is not serious about peace. A Ukrainian official close to the negotiations told the BBC that Kyiv arrived “with a clear mandate” while Russia was using the meeting to “stall for time and put on a show”.

“We have intelligence that the Russians are planning to go straight to the hotel after the negotiations and press conference and from there to the airport,” the source added. “This also indicates that they may not be serious.”

If no concrete steps are agreed, the source warned, “there will be a conversation about increasing pressure until something constructive appears”.

Earlier in the day, reports indicated that the United States would meet the Russian delegation separately and would not attend the main trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Turkey. Ukrainian officials had already accused Moscow of trying to exclude Turkish and US officials from the process.

There was no handshake between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, which symbolised the lack of trust between the two sides. Half of Ukraine’s team appeared in military fatigues, while the Russian side was notably devoid of senior political figures.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had invited Putin to attend in person, but the Russian leader instead appointed aide Vladimir Medinsky to lead the delegation. Kyiv says this reflects the Kremlin’s unserious approach.

“The Russians want to build associations with 2022. But all that is similar is the city of Istanbul. And nothing else,” said Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian President’s Office.

United States President Donald Trump, speaking from Dubai, expressed similar doubts about the talks. After initially suggesting he might attend, he later downplayed expectations, stating: “Nothing’s going to happen until Putin, and I get together.”

The Kremlin confirmed that preparations for a possible Trump-Putin summit are under discussion. “There is no doubt that contacts between President Putin and Trump are important in the context of the Ukrainian negotiations,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “But a summit must be set up properly… with long and intense preparations.”

Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine’s top priority is an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said Kyiv is ready to stop fighting at once if Russia halts hostilities, returns deported Ukrainian children, and carries out a full prisoner exchange.

“We are ready for a complete and unconditional ceasefire, as we have previously said during meetings in Jeddah and Riyadh with our American partners,” Umerov said.

Russia has rejected that proposal. Its delegates framed the talks as a continuation of the 2022 negotiations in Istanbul and again blamed Ukraine’s NATO ambitions and minority language laws for sparking the war.

The Russian team includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Military Intelligence Director Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, but not Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov or President Putin’s top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov.

Opening the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged both sides to “take advantage of the opportunity” to stop the bloodshed, calling a ceasefire “urgently needed”.

Turkey has positioned itself as a key mediator throughout the war, maintaining relations with both Kyiv and Moscow. Ankara previously brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative and multiple prisoner swaps and has signalled willingness to deploy peacekeepers if required.

Earlier on Thursday, a separate meeting brought together Turkish, US and Ukrainian officials including Fidan, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg, and senior Ukrainian ministers. While Rubio refused to meet the Russian side, a US official, Michael Anton, reportedly held a private meeting with Medinsky.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Putin “must pay the price” if the Kremlin continues to “play games” with peace. “Ukraine has shown itself to be the party of peace,” Starmer said at a summit in Tirana, Albania.

Zelensky warned that if the Istanbul summit fails to produce progress, “a strong reaction” from Ukraine’s allies will be necessary. “It is clear Putin does not want to end the war,” he said.