Vladimir Medinsky, a presidential assistant, will instead lead Russia’s mission, the Kremlin said.
In the past, Zelensky had stated that if the Russian president consented, he would go to the negotiations and meet Putin in person. He also promised to do everything in his power to make sure the in-person meeting happened.
According to media reports, US President Donald Trump will also not be present, even though he has hinted that he would if Putin were present.
According to a person acquainted with the situation, the negotiations will be closed to the media and begin at 10:00 local time (08:00 BST) in Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace, according to a report by the Russian news agency TASS.
On Thursday, Zelensky will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
