Russia says ready for ‘possible compromises’ in Ukraine talks as Zelenskyy stays out, sends delegation

Russia on Thursday said it was ready to discuss “possible compromises” on Ukraine, but did not reveal what they might be. The comment was made by Vladimir Medinsky, who leads the Russian delegation ahead of peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey."We are ready to work, to resume the Istanbul talks. We are ready for possible compromises, to discuss them," Medinsky told state broadcaster Rossiya 24.Meanwhile, Ukraine's president Zelenskyy sent the Ukrainian delegation for talks after Russian president Vladimir Putin did not show up in Turkey with the Russian delegation that arrived Thursday. Zelesnkyy, despite being in Ankara, refused to be a part of the talks while slamming Putin for sending what he called a "dummy" delegation. He remained adamant that he would only sit across the table for talks if Putin joined.The Ukrainian president said he was still waiting for Putin.Zelenskyy added that he did not back off from the talk altogether and would send a delegation to Istanbul to demonstrate to US president Donald Trump that Ukraine wanted to end the conflict. The US president had criticised Zelenskyy for the war after a showdown between the two leaders in Washington last month.US president Donald Trump, said on Thursday he was not surprised that Putin chose not to attend the talks. Trump had earlier called for a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders but appeared unfazed by Putin’s absence.“I didn’t think it was possible for Putin to go if I’m not there,” Trump told reporters during a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar.Even as the two countries are set to sit across the table from each other, Russia on Thursday claimed it had captured two villages in eastern Ukraine.