Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky raised the stakes ahead of a potential meeting with Vladimir Putin in Turkey by saying he wouldn’t hold talks with any Russian representative other than the president himself.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he wanted to negotiate an unconditional 30-day ceasefire face-to-face with Vladimir Putin at this week's talks in Istanbul because only the Russian leader could enact such a pause.

Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv that he will be in Ankara on Thursday to conduct the negotiations. He plans to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the two will wait for Putin to arrive, he said. Zelenskyy said that if Putin chooses Istanbul to hold the meeting, then both leaders will travel there.