The Ukrainian president is now reminded of some comments that Russia's foreign minister made about him earlier.

In those comments, Sergei Lavrov called him "pathetic" in response to Zelensky's earlier comment that Putin had sent "stand-in-props" to Turkey.

Zelensky addresses this by asking why Putin proposed direct negotiations himself.

"He does not want a ceasefire," he says, adding that the Russian president can't say "let the ceasefire begin".

The Ukrainian president also notes that US President Donald Trump indicated that he was prepared to join talks - "demonstrating good political will".

Image source, Reuters

Zelensky now says if Putin is ready for negotiations without preconditions, "let's meet".

It follows a question on whether Ukraine's partners would be ready to apply sanctions.

The Ukrainian president says the main task for Ukraine is to be "constructive" which is why they have sent a delegation that is being headed by its defence minister.

We are continuing to bring you lines from Ukrainian President Zelensky's news conference in Ankara, Turkey, after his meeting with President Erdogan.

Zelensky says if there are no talks about a ceasefire then the war cannot be brought to an end.

He tells the assembled reporters that Russia is demonstrating that it does not want to end the war, calling for more pressure to be applied on the country from developing nations as well as from allies of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian leader adds he expects more sanctions to be leveraged against Russia in order to help end the war.

Next a reporter asks Zelensky about what his country's next steps might include.

The Ukrainian leader responds by saying he "doesn't want to waste time and discuss what is just peace for Ukraine because some will like it and some will be annoyed by it".

He points to the UN Charter and that it should be respected that Ukraine is a sovereign nation.

"We all have a mandate from the Ukrainian people and our lawmakers to agree to certain steps which will lead to the end of the war," Zelensky says.

He then calls on Russia to "at least demonstrate something" - pointing directly at the "level of their leaders".

"If we don't see that demonstration then it means they are not ready to talk about the end of the war," he adds. "It means they lack political will."

Zelensky is now taking questions from reporters gathered in Ankara.

The Ukrainian president is asked what will happen if the Russian delegation refuses a ceasefire.

He responds by saying that negotiations have taken place in various formats before in countries like Saudi Arabia, the UK, France, and today in Turkey.

He says it is not easy to speak with Russian representatives, but that Ukraine remains "ready for direct negotiations".

President Zelensky stresses that his country remains committed to meeting with US and Turkish teams, and hopes the Russian delegation will be present too.

The timing of today's meeting in Istanbul, which we have been reporting, is yet to be defined, he adds.

Zelensky says he will send a delegation to Istanbul, headed by his defence minister, despite the low-level Russian delegation.

He says again that that he believes that Russia is not serious about establishing peace, but adds that he hopes they can show this isn't the case in the meeting.

He adds that he's sending his defence minister "out of respect for Trump and [Turkish president] Erdogan".

• For context: We are still waiting for a meeting to take place between Russian, Ukrainian and American delegates in Istanbul. Turkish foreign ministry sources told the BBC earlier in the day that "no meeting is scheduled" yet, despite Russian and Ukrainian delegations travelling to the country

Zelensky confirms that a meeting will take with delegations from Russia, Ukraine, the US and Turkey.

But, the Ukrainian leader accuses Russia again of not treating the peace talks "seriously".

He says the proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump is that leaders should meet, but Zelensky says Russia have sent a "low-level delegation".

Russia is not serious at all about real talks, he says.

Image source, Reuters

Zelensky begins by saying he began his visit to Turkey's capital city, Ankara, with a high-level delegation.

This included the minister for foreign affairs, head of the office of the president, the minister of defence, the head of general staff, head of the security service and representatives of intelligence services, he says.

He adds that Turkey met Ukraine with a delegation of the highest level.

You can watch the Ukrainian president speaking in Ankara now - press watch live at the top of the page.

We'll have his key comments soon.

Matt Spivey
Live editor

In Turkey, the day began with expectations that delegates from Ukraine, Russia and the US would hold talks on the Ukraine war.

So far, that hasn't happened.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is still in Ankara, having met with Turkish President Erdogan.

As it stands, there has been no official word on who will be representing Ukraine in the meeting with Russia, while Moscow's delegation is said to be waiting in Istanbul for "serious talks".

Despite the uncertainty that surrounds talks in Istanbul, high-level diplomatic events have been taking place in other parts of the country.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in Antalya, in the south of the country, alongside Nato foreign ministers.

Shortly, we will be hearing from Volodymyr Zelensky in the Turkish capital Ankara. This will be his first public remarks since meeting Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier today.

We expect the Ukrainian leader to outline the next steps for his country and hopefully provide an update on whether delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the US have met in Istanbul.

We'll bring you the latest on this page, and you can also follow along by pressing watch live above.

Image source, EPA

While we wait to get an update on the Russia-Ukraine peace talks that are still due to take place in Istanbul, let's take you back to a moment a bit earlier when Turkey's top diplomat indicated that he's still hopeful for a peaceful resolution.

A "very important step towards peace" will be taken "if the parties' positions are harmonised and trust is established", Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan says after an informal Nato meeting in the city of Antalya.

The Turkish FM notes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently in Ankara for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and that delegations from Russia and the US are in Istanbul.

"These visits alone show that the will necessary for peace is finally emerging," Fidan says, adding that there is "enough reason to be hopeful".

Image source, Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Reuters

We've just heard US President Donald Trump say "nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together" when it comes to securing a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

But talks between Russia and Ukraine are still expected to take place in Istanbul today, marking the first face-to-face talks since 2022.

The full details of who will attend - and when - are not yet clear.

If you're joining us now, here's a quick catch up:

• Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are in Turkey but a source from Turkey's foreign ministry said no meeting has yet been scheduled

• Putin and Trump won’t be there and the Ukrainian delegation is currently in Ankara not Istanbul
• Zelensky had previously called on Putin to attend - saying he would come if the Russian leader did
• This morning, Zelensky accused Russia of sending "stand-in props" after the Kremlin sent a delegation that appears to be very junior

• Separately, the US Secretary of State said Washington DC wants progress within days
• His comments were made at a Nato meeting in Antalya. A separate meeting between Zelensky and the Turkish president is taking place in Ankara

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent, travelling with Donald Trump

President Donald Trump suggests that significant progress in Ukraine peace talks is unlikely until he and President Putin meet in person.

As the pool reporter on board Air Force One, I asked Trump whether he was disappointed by the level of the delegation that Russia has sent to Turkey.

"Look, nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together. Okay?" Trump says.

"And obviously he wasn't going to go. He was going to go, but he thought I was going to go.

"He wasn't going if I wasn't there and I don't believe anything's going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together, but we're going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying."

Image source, Reuters

Keir Starmer says Vladimir Putin's failure to take Volodymyr Zelensky up on his offer of face-to-face peace talks is further evidence of the Russian president "dragging his feet".

While on a visit to Tirana, Albania, the prime minister was asked what his message was to the Russian leader.

He said: "It is Putin who is causing the delay in a ceasefire.

"Ukraine has long been clear, several months ago now, that they would have a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, and we have long said that it's Putin who is standing in the way of that peace."

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Reporting from Istanbul

Fundamental differences between Russia and Ukraine are on display again ahead of possible talks in Turkey.

Russia’s ambassador-at-large Rodion Miroshnik has just said that Kyiv only wants to discuss a ceasefire, but this is “incompatible with Moscow’s approach”.

He adds that no document has been agreed yet by the two delegations – and that’s not surprising at all given the continuing tensions and animosity.

Overnight, both Ukraine and Russia reported attempted drone strikes on their territories.

Ukraine's air force accuses Russia of launching 110 attack drones and decoys, they add that 62 of these drones were shot down.

Authorities in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kherson reported missile strikes which reportedly killed at least five civilians. Russia has not commented.

Meanwhile, the Russian military says it destroyed two Ukrainian attack drones over the Rostov and Belgorod regions.

Image source, Reuters

On the frontline, fighting continues. Russia claims to have captured two villages in Dontesk, eastern Ukraine.

Moscow now controls approximately 20% of Ukraine's land - including the southern Crimea peninsula it illegally annexed in 2014.

Ukrainian military chiefs say assaults on the frontline have risen by up to 30% in recent weeks.

Image source, EPA

In the Turkish capital, Ankara, Ukraine's President Zelensky meets President Erdogan ahead of their bilateral meeting.

Following the meeting, which is happening on the same day as potential talks with Russia and the US in Istanbul, Zelensky is set to decide Ukraine's next steps in reaching a peace deal.

We're expecting to hear from Zelensky a little later on this afternoon, stay with us for the the latest updates.

Image source, EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Reporting from Istanbul

Image source, Reuters

The head of Russia's delegation in the talks, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, has confirmed he is in Istanbul and says Russia wants to address the “root causes of the conflict” and establish lasting peace in Ukraine.

This suggests Russian demands stay the same, with reluctance to accept a 30-day ceasefire demanded by Ukraine and its allies.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says the Russian delegation has been waiting for the Ukrainians in Istanbul since this morning.

He adds that there are "no plans for Putin to travel to Turkey or meet Trump over the next few days".