Vladimir Putin rejected calls to join direct talks with Ukraine's leader in Turkey, seemingly unphased by mounting pressure from Trump to strike a peace deal.

The first direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russian in three years due to get underway in Turkey on Thursday were thrown into doubt in a dispute over the seniority of their respective delegations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday for a meeting with President Tayyip Erdogan, while in Istanbul Russian and Ukranian officials were separately expected to begin peace talks.

After Mr. Trump expressed frustration with Russia’s refusal to stop the war, Mr. Putin ordered a three-day cease-fire to begin on May 8, in order to mark the May 9 celebration of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Mr. Zelensky described that pledge as a “ manipulation .”

For days, President Donald Trump repeatedly floated the possibility of scrapping his Middle East travel schedule — one his team meticulously crafted for weeks — and adding a stop to personally mediate Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Turkey.

June 15, 2024: Representatives of 92 nations meet in Nidwalden, Switzerland, to discuss Ukraine’s peace plan. Despite the growing number of delegates, a consensus remains elusive. The summit’s final statement is backed by most – although not all – participants.