The US President Donald Trump has called his visit to Turkey on May 15 to participate in Russian-Ukrainian negotiations unlikely.
This is reported by Bloomberg.
Trump said he plans to travel to the United Arab Emirates as planned. Speaking to reporters on May 14, he hinted that his schedule was too tight to add another stop before his trip to Abu Dhabi. Although the US president did not rule out the possibility of unexpected changes or a later visit.
"We have everything planned for tomorrow [May 15], you know, everything is already planned," Trump said aboard Air Force One during the flight to Qatar.
He had previously suggested he might join the meeting in Istanbul. Donald Trump noted that it was unclear whether Putin would participate in the talks.
"I donʼt know if he [Putin] will show up. I know he would like me to be there — itʼs possible, and if we could end the war, I would think about it. The situation is very tense. But that doesnʼt mean I wonʼt do it if it saves a lot of lives and then comes back," the politician said.
Trumpʼs statements indicate that his presence at the talks in Istanbul may depend on whether the Kremlin leader is there, Bloomberg adds. Turkish officials do not expect the US president to visit on Thursday, but do not rule it out in the coming days — especially if Trump is accompanied by Putin, the agencyʼs sources said. According to them, preparations on the Turkish side are ongoing.
Negotiations in Turkey
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed on May 10 that a full ceasefire with the Russian Federation should begin on May 12 for at least 30 days. According to him, the ceasefire should be comprehensive, that is, in the air, at sea, and on land, and monitoring can be provided together with the United States.
On the night of May 11, Putin proposed resuming direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, without mentioning the 30-day ceasefire that is due to take effect on May 12. Zelensky responded that he would personally wait for Putin in Turkey if Russia ceases fire.
Senior White House adviser and special representative of the US president Steve Witkoff has offered his candidacy as a mediator in possible talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey. Reuters, citing sources, wrote that Trump will send Witkoff and special representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, to the meeting.
The Washington Post, citing a former senior Kremlin official, wrote that Russia will be represented at the talks in Turkey by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Putinʼs foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov. Putinʼs arrival is unlikely.
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