Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was ready to cancel peace talks in Istanbul if Russian leader Vladimir Putin failed to attend. However, Western partners persuaded the Ukrainian President not to rule out the negotiations,

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he will be waiting for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Turkish capital this week to conduct face-to-face talks about the more than 3-year war

Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv he will be in Ankara on Thursday to conduct the negotiations. He plans to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the two will wait for Putin to arrive, he said. Zelenskyy said if Putin chooses Istanbul to hold the meeting, then both leaders will travel there.