Zelensky arrived in Turkey, but Putin did not come and sent an equivalent-level delegation.
Actually, Zelensky had reservations about this negotiation. Under the encouragement of the UK, France, and Germany, Ukraine proposed a 30-day ceasefire plan, which was rejected by Russia, forcing him to comply with Russia's proposal for talks in Turkey. He assumed that Putin would not attend in person, so he declared his arrival in Turkey. On one hand, he tried to please Trump, on the other hand, he wanted to show his sincerity towards this negotiation and create a negative impression of Putin.
Trump's view on Putin's absence:
The reporter asked Trump if he felt disappointed, and he replied: "Not disappointed. I said it before, if I don't go, Putin won't either. This is the fact. I didn't go, so neither did he."
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832199920250880/
Disclaimer: The article only represents the author's personal views.