The first images of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey have emerged - despite Vladimir Putin not being present. Before they began, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said: "While the war continues to take lives, it is of critical importance that the ceasefire be implemented as soon as possible. It is also very important that these talks form the basis of a leaders’ meeting. We wholeheartedly believe it is possible to reach peace through constructive negotiations. Overseen by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the US side included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg and ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack. Ukraine's leader Volodym Zelenskyy confirmed this week that his team would be pushing for an immediate ceasefire, while the Russian delegation has been largely quiet. Few had expected Putin to show up in Turkey, and his absence punctured any hope of significant progress toward ending the 3-year-old war amid peace efforts in recent months by the Trump administration and Western European leaders. It also raised the prospect of intensified international sanctions on Russia that have been threatened by the West. Zelenskyy, who flew Thursday to Ankara after challenging Putin to sit down with him, accused Moscow of not making a serious effort to end the war by sending a low-level negotiating team that he described as “a theater prop.” His proposal to Putin came amid a flurry of maneuvering last weekend as each side sought a diplomatic advantage. Zelenskyy said he decided to send the delegation to Istanbul to demonstrate to President Donald Trump that Ukraine wants to end the fighting. The head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, said in Istanbul that the representatives were ready to meet Ukrainian officials. “The task of these direct negotiations with Ukraine is to establish long-term peace sooner or later by eliminating the root causes of this conflict,” he said in a brief statement. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier welcomed Zelenskyy to the presidential palace in Ankara for their own talks. Zelenskyy heads Friday to Albania for a gathering of European officials. For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.