As the President concludes his Middle East visit, global conflicts remain at the forefront, with the U.S. aiming to lead diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.

Ukraine had framed Zelensky's demand for a face-to-face meeting with Putin as a test of Russia's true willingness to negotiate peace. Arriving in Turkey, he slammed the Russian delegation as "theatrical" and contrasted it to Ukraine's high-level group.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly floated the possibility of scrapping his Middle East travel schedule and adding a stop to personally mediate Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Turkey.

Turkey is ready to host negotiations for a ceasefire and permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine, President Tayyip Erdogan told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a phone call on Sunday, Erdogan's office said.

Putin proposed immediate negotiations on Thursday in Istanbul while Europeans and Trump were talking about a ceasefire from Monday