Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday accused Russia of deliberately delaying peace negotiations to extend its three-year invasion, even as US President Donald Trump presses for

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.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being too "afraid" to turn up for face-to-face peace talks in Istanbul, as direct negotiations erupted in accusations that Russia made "unacceptable demands".

Putin hasn't yet said whether he will be at the talks, which Trump has urged Ukraine and Russia to attend as part of Washington's efforts to stop the fighting.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said that if President Trump attended the talks, it would put pressure on Russia’s leader, Vladimir V. Putin, to meet face-to-face.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will travel to Turkey's capital Ankara to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and will be available for direct talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Istanbul on Thursday.

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.