President Vladimir Putin never planned to accept Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky’s offer to meet one-on-one in Istanbul, sources in the Russian government and the Foreign Ministry and people close to the Kremlin have told The Moscow Times.

The absence of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump from the talks has dampened hopes of a significant breakthrough in resolving the conflict.

By challenging Putin to face-to-face talks in Istanbul, Ukraine’s president has reshaped the diplomatic game and forced Moscow into a high-stakes dilemma.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he will be present in Turkey for direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, telling CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh he expects new sanctions to be imposed on Russia if a 30-day unconditional ceasefire isn’t agreed upon.

Ukraine's air force reported an overnight Russian attack involving more than 100 drones, as Russia's President Vladimir Putin rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 's proposal of an immediate 30-day ceasefire.