Russia Declines Participation in Scheduled Istanbul Peace Talks, Citing Kyiv's 'Lack of Readiness'

Kremlin Announces Non-Participation in Upcoming Talks

The Russian Federation has declared it will not participate in peace negotiations scheduled to take place in Istanbul on November 19, 2025. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the announcement on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, stating that Moscow has not received any official proposals or signals from Kyiv indicating a readiness to resume dialogue in Turkey.

Despite the rejection, Peskov affirmed that Russia 'remains open to negotiations' but will observe the outcomes of the planned summit without direct involvement for the time being. He also clarified that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not be in contact with US Special Representative Steve Witkoff or Turkish representatives regarding these specific talks.

A History of Stalled Negotiations in Istanbul

This latest development follows a series of diplomatic efforts and previous rounds of talks held in Istanbul since the onset of the conflict. Significant negotiations took place in March-April 2022, shortly after the full-scale invasion, which reportedly came close to yielding a peace agreement. These earlier discussions explored a framework for Ukraine's neutral status and international security guarantees. However, these talks ultimately collapsed due to fundamental disagreements, including the status of Crimea and the Donbas region, as well as the size of Ukraine's military.

More recently, Istanbul hosted further rounds of negotiations in May, June, and July 2025. During these meetings, Ukraine advocated for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and an end to attacks on civilian infrastructure. Conversely, Russia insisted on Kyiv's recognition of its claimed territories and limitations on Ukraine's military capabilities. The May 2025 talks notably concluded with an agreement on a prisoner exchange but failed to secure a ceasefire. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia later suggested that Russia's negotiating team in earlier Istanbul talks had no genuine intention of discussing peace.

Ukraine's Continued Diplomatic Push

In response to the ongoing diplomatic stalemate, Ukraine has reportedly urged its international partners to increase pressure on President Putin for a direct meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Zelenskyy is currently preparing for a series of important international engagements, some of which are scheduled to take place in Turkey, aimed at intensifying diplomatic processes and presenting new proposals to partners. A key focus for Ukraine remains the return of prisoners of war, with Ukraine's lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, having recently visited Turkey to reactivate prisoner exchange mechanisms.