Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to come to Turkey for the talks as President Trump turned up pressure for negotiations.

Zelensky sends Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul, as peace talks with Russia are expected on May 16 Trump expects no progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks until he meets Putin Pro-Ukraine partisans sabotage railway track near Russia's Smolensk Ukraine shows its latest 'ship-killer' Magura drone series to the public for the first time US proposes reviving NATO-Russia Council,

Zelensky accused the Russian side of not taking the talks seriously, and that he did not see decision-makers among their delegation, despite direct negotiations taking place at the urging of Moscow. He had earlier described the Russian delegation as "theatrical."