Putin 'doesn't dare' meet Zelensky in Istanbul, EU's Kallas says

The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Tuesday she didn't think Russian President Vladimir Putin would turn up for talks in Turkey this week with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The meeting set for Thursday in Istanbul would be the first direct negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian officials since the early months of Moscow's invasion in 2022.

Zelensky has urged Putin to personally attend the talks that the Kremlin leader himself suggested, but Moscow has so far declined to respond to the invitation.

"I think it's a good move if they sit down," Kallas told a democracy conference in Copenhagen, adding: "But I don't think he dares, Putin."

"It has been over two months since Ukraine agreed to an unconditional ceasefire," she said.

"Russia is clearly playing games, trying to find time, hoping that time is on their side. We haven't seen any good efforts or good signs from their side," she added.

Ukraine said Tuesday that a Putin no-show would be a clear sign that Moscow is not serious about peace.

"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," Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said in a statement.

Meeting in Kyiv on Saturday, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland threatened Russia with more coordinated sanctions if it did not accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire as of Monday.

"We need to put pressure on Russia because it takes two to want peace, it only takes one to want war. And Russia clearly wants war," Kallas said.

"I think the package of sanctions that they are preparing in (the US) Senate is a good example that they see this picture in a similar way."

The European Union is also preparing a 17th package of sanctions with further measures to target Russia's "shadow fleet" vessels it says are dodging measures imposed by Western nations on Moscow's oil exports following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.