The president said he's optimistic about Thursday's expected talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.

He also expressed his agreement to a direct dialog with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky emphasized that he is ready to personally arrive in Turkey to participate in the talks, hoping that the Russian side will not ignore the meeting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday he will travel to Turkey later this week to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a "necessary basis for diplomacy" to end the war. Why it matters: If the meeting takes place,