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.


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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 


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