内容摘要：ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their

, but reiterated it would take part in possible peace talks later this week without preconditions.There was no direct response from the Kremlin, meanwhile, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr

for Russian leader Vladimir Putin to meet him for face-to-face peace talks in Turkey on Thursday.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to say who might travel to Istanbul from the Russian side.“Overall, we’re determined to seriously look for ways to achieve a long-term peaceful settlement. That is all,” Peskov said.

The United States and European governments are making a concerted push to stop the fighting, which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides, as well as more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia’s invading forces have taken around one-fifth of Ukraine in Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II.U.S. President Donald Trump said he’s optimistic about the Istanbul talks. There is “the potential for a good meeting” between Putin and Zelenskyy, Trump said in Washington, adding that he was “thinking about flying over” to the talks from his visit to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates that day.

Zelenskyy supported the prospect of Trump attending the negotiations. “I supported President Trump with the idea of direct talks with Putin. I have openly expressed my readiness to meet,” he said. “And of course, all of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Turkey.”

In a flurry of diplomatic developments over the weekend, Russia shunned the ceasefire proposal tabled by the U.S. and European leaders, butZelenskyy dismissed the gesture as a further attempt by Putin at “manipulation” to string along the U.S., saying a ceasefire should begin immediately and last longer.

In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier looks out of a shelter on the anti-drone firing position in Kostyantynivka, the site of the heavy battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, April 24, 2025. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP, File)In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier looks out of a shelter on the anti-drone firing position in Kostyantynivka, the site of the heavy battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, April 24, 2025. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP, File)

Greene noted that the Russian ruble and markets have been doing better recently over expectations of a peace deal and U.S. businesses and investors coming back, “and there may be a price to be paid” for pulling out the rug from under that.The larger question is what happens on the battlefield if the Trump administration withdraws from the peace effort.