Pakistan, May 15 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of sending a "dummy delegation" to peace talks in Istanbul, after President Vladimir Putin failed to attend. Zelensky described the Russian negotiators as low-ranking officials, questioning their mandate and authority to make decisions.

The Ukrainian leader expressed his concerns to reporters in Ankara, where he arrived ahead of the talks. He stated that the Russian delegation, led by former Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky, appeared to be "dummies" or "stand-in props," as they lacked the power to engage in meaningful negotiations.

Russia, however, responded sharply to Zelensky's comments, with foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova calling him a "clo...