It would be beneficial to have missing posters in Istanbul, where delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are convening today to discuss peace negotiations to resolve the conflict.
Two seats sit vacant as Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump decided to step back from the diplomatic spotlight.
Volodymyr Zelensky urged his Russian counterpart to engage in face-to-face negotiations, yet the likelihood of this happening remains low.
This highlights his ongoing separation from substantial discussions and the persistent stalemate that shows no signs of resolution.
While Ukraine's president is set to meet Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, he emphasized that he will only negotiate with the Russian president.
Trump defends his absence by pointing to his current tour in the Middle East. While in Qatar, he was questioned by reporters about Putin's lack of attendance.
Trump justifies his absence by citing his ongoing tour in the Middle East. While in Qatar, he faced questions from the press regarding Putin's absence.
In reply, he remarked, "Why would he go if I am not going? I did not think it was possible for Putin to go if I am not there."
The US president mentioned that he could still head to Turkey tomorrow if there are advancements today. 'If something happened, I would go on Friday if it was appropriate,' Trump assured.
This suggests that his absence—or potential presence, likely to garner praise—could influence the interpretation of the situation's direction.
"We can help the World psychologically. So we think we are going to do well with Russia-Ukraine," he had said earlier.
Trump noted a day prior that he would attend the talks in Turkey if Putin were to appear.
Concerns are rising that the negotiations may collapse again if both leaders are not in attendance.
Instead, Putin is dispatching a lower-ranking delegation, a strategic decision that Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna labeled as a 'slap in the face.'
Zelensky described the situation as resembling a sham, stating, 'We will think about what we will do and what our next steps will be after talking with president Erdogan'
'We must understand what level the Russian delegation is and what their mandate is, whether they are able to make something themselves, as weall know who in Russia makes the decisions.'
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, arriving at a NATO meeting in Antalya, remarked, 'When it is about peace, a ceasefire, and how to end the war, we have one chair empty, which is the chair of Vladimir Putin.'
'I guess that the world has realised there is only one party not willing to engage in serious peace negotiations and that certainly is Russia,' she added.
Ukraine has repeatedly expressed its readiness for a 30-day ceasefire to conclude a conflict it did not initiate, but as she noted, 'Russia is not available.'
The specifics regarding when and where the Ukrainian delegation might meet with their Russian counterparts remain uncertain, but clarity is anticipated following the meeting between Zelensky and Erdogan, as shared by a Ukrainian official who wished to remain anonymous to discuss the plans freely.