Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is playing master manipulator President Vladimir Putin at his own game. The big question: Will the Russian president go to Istanbul?

Zelensky has challenged Russia’s president to personally attend talks with him in the Turkish city on Thursday. Putin first proposed talks between more junior Ukrainian and Russian officials as a counterproposal to President Donald Trump’s call for a 30-day ceasefire between the countries. While Zelensky accepted the ceasefire proposal nearly two months ago, Putin has refused to do so. But by accepting Putin’s call for talks in Istanbul while insisting they be at the presidential level, Zelensky has outmaneuvered Putin. As I noted on Monday: