Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is on his way to Istanbul, has said that his country is ready for "any format" for peace negotiations.
"Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations and we are not afraid of meetings," Zelenskyy said on Wednesday in a video address on Telegram, as the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul prepares to host the first direct peace talks between the two countries since March 2022.
Zelenskyy said he held several meetings with his team on the format of the talks with Russia.
"I expect who will arrive from Russia, and then I will determine what steps Ukraine should take," he said, arguing that "signals" they are receiving from the media in Moscow are "not convincing yet."
“But we also hear that (US) President (Donald) Trump is considering the possibility of being in Türkiye. So, this could be the strongest argument. A week can really change a lot, but maybe," he said. "All this is being decided now."
A senior Ukrainian official said late on Wednesday that Zelenskyy was on his way to take part in talks.
"We're on the way," the official, who asked not to be identified owing to the sensitivity of the situation, told Reuters news agency. He said Zelenskyy was headed to the Turkish capital Ankara.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, signed an order on the composition of his country's delegation.
The order, which was posted on the Kremlin website, read that the delegation will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, and will also include Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Director of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin.
The list did not include Putin himself.
US officials also confirmed Trump's absence from the talks, following Putin's delegation announcement.
Week of diplomacy
Thursday could mark a pivotal moment in global efforts to halt the Russia-Ukraine war as their leaders are expected to hold direct talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
The potentially historic meeting represents the most advanced stage of negotiations since the two sides were brought together in March 2022 by the same mediator, Türkiye, a reflection of the level of trust Ankara enjoys with both Russia and Ukraine.
This time, it was Putin who proposed a meeting in Türkiye, making the announcement in a Sunday press conference as he countered Ukraine and European nations' demand for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
President Erdogan welcomed Russia's support for restarting peace talks from where they paused in Istanbul in March 2022, reaffirming Türkiye's commitment to peace efforts.
Trump also urged Zelenskyy to "immediately" take up the Russian proposal for direct talks.
Ukraine responded positively to the proposal, and the international community welcomed the Istanbul peace talks agenda.
Mark Rutte says there is a "window of opportunity" to bring the Ukraine issue to "a better place," adds Türkiye "plays a big role here".
