ANKARA, Turkey (TNND) — Russian President Vladimir Putin was a no show for Thursday's meeting in Turkey for proposed peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy agreed Sunday to meet face-to-face with Putin after the Russian president proposed that Ukraine and Russia hold direct talks during a night-time televised statement.

The proposal came after European powers on Saturday demanded that Putin agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or risk facing “massive” sanctions.

Zelenskyy said the Russian delegation appeared "theatrical" and that Ukraine will decide its next steps after a conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"We will have several hours for an important discussion and very important decisions," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "It is essential to understand the level of the Russian delegation, what mandate they hold, and whether they are authorised to make any decisions at all – because we all know who actually makes decisions in Russia."

President Donald Trump who pushed Zelenskyy to accept Putin's proposal, took to Truth Social on Sunday expressing his frustration in the stalling of talks between the two world leaders.

"President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH," Trump wrote on social media. "Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY. At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!"

"I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!" he added.

The Kremlin responded on Thursday through spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Putin has no plans to travel to Istanbul in the next few days.

During his trip to the Middle East, Trump told reporters at a meeting with business executives in Doha, Qatar that he "didn't think it was possible for Putin to go if I'm not there."

“I don’t believe anything’s going to happen whether you like it or not, until (Putin) and I get together,” he said on Air Force One. “But we’re going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying.”

Peskov added that Putin has no plans to meet with Trump in the coming days.

After months of diplomacy kickstarted by Trump, the administration has said in recent weeks that it might walk away from the peace effort if there was no tangible progress soon.

The war has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides and more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the U.N., and continues along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Russian forces are preparing a fresh military offensive, Ukrainian government and Western military analysts say.