Putin ‘no-show’ at peace talks as potentially historic day descends into chaos

Day 1,177. Today, as Vladimir Putin rejects mounting Western pressure to attend peace talks in Turkey with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, attention turns to the controversial delegation he's sending in his place. Who are these representatives, and why are international diplomats describing their presence as an ‘insult’ to the peace process? Plus, we report on a new monument to Joseph Stalin unveiled in Moscow, and investigate how Russia’s military build-up is accelerating, not slowing, despite the war’s toll. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Dom Nicholls (Associate Editor for Defence). @DomNicholls on X. Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X. James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X. SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/ Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. Content Referenced: ‘A potentially historic day descends into chaos’ (The Telegraph Live Blog): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/15/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-turkey-putin-zelensky-trump/ A glimpse inside Putin’s secret arms empire (The Economist) https://www.economist.com/interactive/briefing/2025/05/08/a-glimpse-inside-putins-secret-arms-empire Zelensky to travel to Turkey for peace talks regardless of Putin’s plans (Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/a43c7876-7d7b-4d1c-96fd-98b60a1c6223 NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES: The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.