World waits to see if Putin will turn up for peace talks in Turkey

VLADIMIR Putin may not show up for peace talks tomorrow as his 25-year stranglehold on Russia will end if he agrees a Ukraine ceasefire, critics claim.

- By Giles Sheldrick Chief Reporter

His rival President Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed to an offer of direct talks aimed at achieving peace, but Moscow said it would refuse to honour a ceasefire before and during any meeting.

The summit was set for Turkey with President Donald Trump saying he would attend too. But last night apparent foot-dragging by the Kremlin was seen as a ploy to continue the conflict that has killed at least 250,000.

Anton Gerashchenko, Kyiv’s ex-deputy internal affairs minis-ter and a trusted aide of Mr Zelensky, said: “Why is Putin stalling for time? The end of the war in Ukraine means the emer gence of opposition — and possi bly an armed one, huge

Offer...President Zelensky