After dangling the possibility of his attendance, Trump said he would stay away but still wants to meet with Putin, further weakening the Istanbul talks.

Ukraine will make securing a ceasefire a priority in expected talks with a Russian delegation in Istanbul on Friday, a Ukrainian diplomatic source said, adding there was also a need for "confidence-building measures".

In Istanbul, the first direct talks in three years between Ukraine and Russia on ending the war have concluded. The parties did not reach an agreement on a 30-day ceasefire but agreed on a large-scale exchange in a 1,