By Tom Balmforth and Vladimir Soldatkin ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin sent aides and deputy ministers to hold peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey on Thursday, spurning Kyiv's challenge to go there in person to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Ukrainian President Zelensky said he would meet Putin if the Russian president agreed - but Russia says he won't be there.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his NATO counterparts meet in Turkey to prepare a pivotal summit of alliance leaders next month that will set the course for future European security as America focuses on challenges elsewhere.