Putin extends Russia's defense strategy until 2027 amid expected peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey

As Ukrainian and Russian delegations prepared to meet in Istanbul for potential ceasefire negotiations, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended the country’s current defense strategy through 2027, Russian state-controlled media reported on May 15.

The Kremlin confirmed the extension of the defense plan, which was initially set for 2021–2025, although specific details remained classified.

The original plan had been enacted in January 2021, just over a year before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It followed a prior defense strategy adopted in November 2015, valid through 2020.

The timing of the extension coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his delegation landing in Turkey on May 15 ahead of the anticipated talks in Istanbul. Zelensky held a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara before deciding whether to participate directly in negotiations with the Russian side.

Russia announced that Putin would not attend the talks personally. Instead, the Russian delegation would be led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Military Intelligence Director Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin. Neither Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov nor Putin’s senior foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov would take part.

Upon his arrival on May 15, Zelensky told journalists that Ukraine’s delegation included Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, senior intelligence chiefs, and military officials. He remarked that Moscow appeared to have sent a "sham" delegation and noted that everyone was aware of who made the real decisions in Russia.

Zelensky also emphasized that any negotiations must focus on an unconditional ceasefire and a comprehensive all-for-all prisoner exchange. He reiterated that Kyiv and its allies had proposed a 30-day ceasefire beginning May 12, which Russia had so far declined to accept.

US and Turkey will serve as mediators in Ukraine-Russia talks - Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the United States and Turkey will serve as mediators during the planned negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul. Speaking at a press conference in Ankara, he underscored the importance of international involvement in the talks.

Zelenskyy criticized the lack of a fixed meeting time, calling it a sign of disrespect to all parties involved. Although direct talks were initially proposed for May 15, he said the schedule had since become uncertain.

Some Ukrainian delegates have already arrived in Istanbul and will remain there through Thursday and possibly longer, awaiting confirmation of the talks.

Russia attacked two districts in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Russian forces launched attacks on the Nikopol and Synelnykove districts in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on May 15, resulting in the death of a woman. The evening strike in Synelnykove also caused damage to residential buildings, according to regional officials.

Earlier in the day, Russian troops targeted the Nikopol district using artillery and first-person view drones. The attacks hit the city of Nikopol and the Pokrovske and Marhanets hromadas.

Local authorities reported damage to an industrial facility and two houses. Emergency services are working

According to Marco Rubio, the level of the Russian delegation doesn't indicate a breakthrough in the Istanbul peace talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed skepticism on May 15 about the ongoing peace talks in Turkey between Ukraine and Russia, citing the low rank of the Russian delegation as a sign of limited potential for progress. Speaking in Ankara, Rubio said the absence of top-level Russian decision-makers suggests that a major breakthrough is unlikely.

Rubio emphasized that real progress would likely require direct involvement from U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He noted Trump’s eagerness to end the war, saying that whether the peace process begins with a short ceasefire or a final agreement, the priority is a lasting outcome, not the format.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, arrived in Istanbul for the talks. Russia, however, opted to send a lower-level team headed by aide Vladimir Medinsky. The proposed 30-day ceasefire by Kyiv and its allies has so far been ignored by Moscow.

Russia wants to remove root that caused the the conflict, but not the ceasefire — Lavrov

As Ukrainian and Russian delegations prepare for their first direct talks since 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow seeks "sustainable peace" by addressing the "root causes" of the conflict, not merely a ceasefire. This stance contradicts Ukraine’s call for an immediate, unconditional 30-day ceasefire, a proposal backed by the U.S. and Europe but rejected by the Kremlin.

President Zelensky, arriving in Ankara, emphasized that Ukraine’s delegation includes top officials and intelligence leaders. He questioned whether Russia’s delegation, led by aide Vladimir Medinsky, has real negotiating authority, noting that “we all know who makes decisions in Russia.”

Despite Lavrov's call to "give negotiations a chance," the gap between both sides' positions and the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin make a breakthrough unlikely. Ukraine reportedly intends to focus the talks solely on implementing and monitoring a ceasefire.