India, May 16 -- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has threatened to impose fresh sanctions on Russia after its President Vladimir Putin dodged U.S.-arranged peace talks in Istanbul Thursday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored Ukraine's position as the party of peace and traveled to Turkey in good faith in preparation for direct talks with his Russian counterpart, but Putin failed to turn up.
Putin sent a low-level Russian delegation to join the talks in the Turkish city, where U.S., Turkey and Ukraine delegations already arrived.
"The fact that President Zelenskyy traveled to Turkey despite this is an enormous gesture. Putin didn't show up - and that put him in the wrong," Merz, who was elected Chancellor last week, wrote on X.
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