A Russian delegation has arrived in Istanbul for the first direct peace talks with Ukraine in more than three years. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin is notably absent, despite mounting pressure from world leaders urging him to participate in person.

The Kremlin on Wednesday released the official list of Moscow’s negotiating team, which did not include Putin. This followed a direct challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had called on his Russian counterpart to attend the talks himself.

Speaking on Thursday, President Zelensky expressed skepticism over the seriousness of the Russian delegation, suggesting Moscow had sent what he described as a “dummy” team with an unclear mandate.

“We need to understand the level of the Russian delegation and what their mandate is, if they are capable of making any decisions themselves,” Zelensky stated upon his arrival in Ankara, where he is also scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he was keeping the option open to travel to Turkey on Friday, should there be any signs of meaningful progress in the negotiations.

Despite these developments, the absence of Putin and other senior Russian officials — including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov — has raised doubts about the likelihood of a breakthrough in the talks.