After more than three years of brutal conflict, the promise of peace in Ukraine still hangs precariously in the balance. Diplomatic efforts are once again underway, this time in Istanbul, where representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and Turkey have met. Yet the absence of senior leadership ~ most notably the Russian and American presidents ~ raises serious doubts about the credibility and potential outcomes of these negotiations.

It has become increasingly clear that the road to peace in Ukraine runs not merely through diplomatic channels, but through the direct involvement of top leaders who command both the authority and political capital to make decisive moves. In this context, any negotiations lacking the presence of figures like Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump ~ who have each shaped their nations’ foreign policy landscapes in profound ways ~ are likely to achieve little more........

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