A gesture of caution or a sign of weakness: political analysts explain why Putin did not appear in Turkey
15 May 2025 21:50
ANALYSIS FROM 
Instead of Putin, we got Medinsky, and instead of negotiations, we got a propaganda show. Turkey was preparing for a major diplomatic event, but instead of a breakthrough, the world got a farce. Putin never arrived, and his aide had to blush in front of journalists.
Why Moscow is not interested in a real dialog, but only imitates diplomacy – read more in the article
Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, had to run away from journalists, shouting “your president is afraid to come.” And, of course, he did not answer the question. Turkish political scientist Togrul Ismail named the reasons why Putin did not come to Turkey.
It is not so much fear as caution. Although Turkey is considered a neutral country, Putin feels certain risks, both legal and image, Togrul Ismail
According to the Turkish political scientist, the nightly meeting of the Russian president with the security forces before the press looked like a pre-planned signal to the American audience that “Russia supposedly wants peace.” But experts did not fall for this image: the composition of the Kremlin’s delegation shows a disregard for the process itself.
There is no foreign minister, no key figures. It seems that the delegation was put together in a hurry. This is in contrast to the way Ukraine acted – Kyiv sent high-ranking officials, including Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. This is a diplomatic signal: Ukraine is ready for a serious conversation,” Togrul Ismail emphasized.
In addition, the political scientist believes that such behavior by Russia can be interpreted as disrespect – if not to Turkey, then to itself. After all, Putin himself agreed to the talks and had a conversation with Erdogan on the phone.
Ismail also pointed out that, despite the outward gesture of readiness for dialogue, Moscow may be delaying the process in the hope of repeating the 2022 scenario, with imitation of negotiations and preparation for a new escalation.
In any case, diplomacy is always better than war. But it requires sincere readiness. Ukraine has such readiness. On the part of Russia, it is currently not visible,” Ismail summarizes .
Read also: Why Russia sent a “technical” delegation to Turkey and what it means for Ukraine
Negotiations in Istanbul became part of propaganda, not diplomacy
russia did not plan a real dialogue in Istanbul, but instead staged the talks for propaganda purposes. This opinion was expressed in the commentary of
According to him, the Kremlin delayed the announcement of the delegation until the last moment and did not even agree on the basic parameters of the meeting.
The date and time of the talks should be agreed upon by all parties. This did not happen. The Russians launched a blatant fake aimed at discrediting Ukraine, not at real agreements,” Fesenko said.
The political analyst also emphasizes that the delay in announcing the composition of the delegation was deliberate:
“They did it too late so that Ukraine would not have time to form a delegation of a symmetrical level. These are continuous provocations aimed not at peace, but at information attacks, – Volodymyr Fesenko
The political analyst also noted that Putin’s refusal to go to Turkey was not a surprise. At the same time, Donald Trump is playing his own game.
Trump said he would come if Putin was there. Then he started denying his own words. This is typical of him. He wants to create a picture that it is he who forces the parties to the negotiating table,” Volodymyr Fesenko said.
According to the expert, the talks are unlikely to have any results, and the main task for Ukraine’s allies is to prevent this fake initiative of the Kremlin from being taken seriously.
European partners, such as Macron or Steinmeier, should reach out to Trump and explain to him that it is necessary to put pressure on Putin, not to play out another pause,” Fesenko summarizes.
“Imitation of peace is also a form of war. The Istanbul “negotiation performance” has once again demonstrated that Putin is afraid not only of responsibility but also of the truth. And no diplomacy can be effective without the honest participation of key players. Ukraine demonstrates its readiness to have a serious conversation – but only with those who really want peace, not another pause for new aggression.
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