The first peace talks in three years were supposed to begin on Thursday but amid posturing and accusations, they were pushed back at least until Friday.

ISTANBUL − Russia's Vladimir Putin spurned a challenge to meet face-to-face with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Turkey, instead sending a second-tier delegation to planned peace talks, while Ukraine's president said his defence minister would head up Kyiv's team.

President Donald Trump says he is skipping Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul this week and downplayed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision not to attend.