Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been listed in a delegation being sent to Turkey for talks with Ukraine.

Putin has signed an order for those who will be in attendance at the delegation in Istanbul, with presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky heading up the list.

Medinsky led the Russian delegation at peace talks that took place in Belarus and Turkey in the first weeks of the war in 2022.

Also expected to attend are deputy foreign minister Galuzin Mikhail Yuryevich and deputy minister of defence Alexander Fomin.

The Russian president had proposed direct negotiations to be held with Ukraine at the summit in Turkey on Thursday "without preconditions."

He did not specify whether he envisioned the talks to involve Zelenskyy and himself personally, or with lower-level officials.

Zelenskyy responded by insisting on a ceasefire, saying he will travel to Turkey - and challenged Putin to do the same: "I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses."

Prior to the delegation being listed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that: "If Putin does not arrive and plays games, it is the final point that he does not want to end the war."

The Ukrainian leader added that if Putin doesn’t show up, European and US leaders should follow through with threats of additional and heavy sanctions against Russia.

Trump, , said on Tuesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would attend the talks.