Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to Ukrainian President Zelensky, said Tuesday that if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to attend the expected direct talks in Turkey, it will be seen as the “final signal” that Russia does not want to end the war.

"If Vladimir Putin refuses to come to Turkey, it will be the final signal that Russia does not want to end this war, that Russia is not willing and not ready for any negotiations," Yermak stated in a release from the Ukrainian presidency.

Ukrainian President Zelensky called on Russia Thursday to accept a 30-day truce and expressed his expectation that Putin would attend the peace talks in Turkey. "We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy," Zelensky said, adding that he “will be waiting for Putin.”

During a discussion at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, Yermak revealed that Ukraine has not yet received confirmation regarding Putin’s attendance in Turkey. "President Zelensky is ready and will go," Yermak confirmed.

Yermak emphasized Ukraine's commitment to peace, stating, 'Our people are under attack 24/7.' He added that Ukraine is prepared to discuss all available options for peace, with its trained military force serving as the 'strongest guarantee.'

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on who Russia would send to Istanbul for the talks and reiterated that the Russian side is still preparing for the scheduled discussions on Thursday.

"The Russian side continues to prepare for the talks scheduled for Thursday. That is all we can say at this point. We do not intend to comment further at this time," Peskov said.

Peskov stated that Russia’s negotiating team would be announced when "the president [Vladimir Putin] deems it necessary."

A potential meeting in Turkey would mark the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early phase of the conflict.

Earlier, President Putin proposed resuming direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, stressing that "we propose to the Kyiv authorities to resume the talks they interrupted in 2022, without any preconditions."

In response, Zelensky indicated that Kyiv was open to meeting Moscow for direct talks, viewing the proposal as a “positive sign” and acknowledging that Russia might be considering ending the war for the first time in years.