President Vladimir Putin held a late-night meeting with some of Russia’s most powerful officials to discuss the upcoming peace talks with Ukraine, the Kremlin said today.

Among those present was Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Chief of Russia’s General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, Kremlin Foreign Policy aide Yuri Ushakov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Spy chiefs and Senior Russian commanders.

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will not attend what could be the first direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv in three years, the Kremlin sending instead a group of experienced technocrats https://t.co/9gGPkmMF6i

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 15, 2025

Russia to announce peace talks attendees