NATO secretary general on Istanbul talks: Putin has missed opportunity to start negotiating peace

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has commented on the situation surrounding potential peace talks on Ukraine, taking place in Istanbul, where Russia has sent a low-level delegation.

Rutte noted at a press conference on the sidelines of an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Antalya, Türkiye, that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had expressed his readiness for a personal meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

In contrast, the Russians sent a low-level delegation to Türkiye, Rutte added.

"The Russians are sending a low-level delegation now and not taking up the opportunity [that] President Zelenskyy has been providing. He said: 'I'm willing to sit with Putin; as soon as the ceasefire is there, we are willing to negotiate a peace deal'. So Ukraine is clearly ready to play ball, but that ball is now in the Russian court," Rutte said.

Rutte also expressed gratitude to the United States and President Donald Trump's team, which, he said, "is laser-focused on bringing peace to Ukraine".

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin would not be travelling to Istanbul for talks with the Ukrainian delegation.

Meanwhile, after landing in Ankara on Thursday, Zelenskyy noted that a decision on Ukraine’s next steps regarding the talks would be made following his conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Media outlets report that no meeting has currently been scheduled between the Russian and Ukrainian sides.