Rutte on Putin's refusal to attend talks: ‘He made a big mistake’

This was stated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to journalists ahead of the Ukraine-Russia meeting at the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, The Telegraph reports, according to Ukrinform.

"He knows extremely well that the ball is in his court, that he is in trouble, that he made a big mistake by sending this low-level delegation," Rutte said.

In his view, maximum pressure is now being exerted on Putin.

"I think all the pressure is now on Putin. He has to be serious about wanting peace," Rutte added.

The media outlet notes that expectations for the negotiations, which were originally proposed by Putin himself, significantly dropped after the Russian leader rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation to meet face-to-face in Istanbul.

As Ukrinform reported, a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations started in Istanbul.