After dangling the possibility of his attendance, Trump says he will stay away but still wants to meet with Putin, further weakening the Istanbul talks.

Ukraine and Russia meet in Istanbul for ceasefire talks, with Zelenskyy urging Putin to engage directly. Kyiv's top priority is a 30-day ceasefire and peace efforts. View on euronews

Ukraine will make securing a ceasefire a priority in expected talks with a Russian delegation in Istanbul on Friday, a Ukrainian diplomatic source said, adding there was also a need for "confidence-building measures".