Russian officials mocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after Russian President Vladimir Putin ignored his demand of a face-to-face meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, where the first direct Russia-Ukraine talks in more than three years are due to take place.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Turkey on Thursday to underscore his commitment to ending the war, as his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin stayed away, sending a junior delegation instead.

With only a day to go, Russia has yet to confirm whether President Vladimir Putin will travel to Turkey on Thursday for peace talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency on Wednesday that the Russian delegation to the negotiations in Istanbul would be announced when Putin gives the order.