After dangling the possibility of his attendance, Trump said he would stay away but still wants to meet with Putin, further weakening the Istanbul talks.

As President Donald Trump is holding for crucial calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his administration faces ongoing talks to secure trade deals.

We hope this process will lead to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine,' says spokesperson - Anadolu Ajansı

A much-hyped phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Monday was followed up by optimistic statements by the pair – but there are doubts over whether it marked any real progress towards peace in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy shared details on his meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 18, following the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV, where the leaders discussed sanctions on Russia and recent peace talks in Istanbul.