Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in attendance and declared that “history was being made”.

Addressing the leaders, he said: “Today is the day when the world begins to bring a just peace closer.”

However, despite the turnout several key players were missing. Irking Kyiv, U.S. President Joe Biden was absent and was, instead, represented by his deputy, Kamala Harris.

Russia, of course, was absent, but so too China. It had been hoped that an appearance by the Chinese would underline to the Kremlin just how isolated Russia was on the global stage.

The talks centered on several concerns triggered by the war, such as food and nuclear security, but both Turkey and Saudi Arabia - who have been suggested as hosts of future peace summits - both said that any meaningful talks would require Russian participation.

On the eve of the summit, Vladimir Putin issued his own demands for peace and said he would agree to end the war if Kyiv abandoned its NATO aspirations and handed over control of four provinces to Moscow. Immediately dismissed by Kyiv, the conditions are a reflection of Moscow’s growing confidence that it has seized the upper hand.

“He's calling for surrender,” Harris said, adding: “Let nothing about the end of this war be decided without Ukraine.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, added: “Freezing the conflict today, with foreign troops occupying Ukrainian land, is not the answer. It is a recipe for future wars of aggression.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also blasted the Russian proposal: “Putin has no interest in a genuine peace,” he said. “He has launched a sustained diplomatic campaign against this summit ordering countries to stay away, spinning a phony narrative about his willingness to negotiate.”

Harris also used the opportunity to announce over $1.5 billion in energy and humanitarian aid for Ukraine whose infrastructure has been left in a parlous state since the full-scale invasion. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also put a positive spin on the summit, comparing it to “a small plant that needs watering, nurturing and delicate care” that would yield results further down the line.

Ignoring the absentees, however, has proved difficult. “I must also note that this summit could have been more result-oriented if the other party to the conflict, Russia, was present in the room,” said Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also warned that credible talks would involve a “difficult compromise”.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also appealed to leaders to build a broader global consensus to pressure Russia. “It's like we're in a Western echo chamber. That is: all Western European countries, the U.S., we agree on what we want to happen with Ukraine,” he said. “But that alone is not enough.”