ANTALYA, Turkey, May 15 (Reuters) - In a significant statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed that achieving a major breakthrough in the ongoing efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine hinges on direct negotiations between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This announcement comes after Russia opted to send a lower-level delegation to the ongoing discussions in Turkey.
Speaking to reporters in Antalya, Rubio highlighted his upcoming travel plans to Istanbul for meetings with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and a delegation from Ukraine. However, he tempered expectations, indicating that he did not foresee any significant progress emerging from these talks.
Rubio stated, “I don’t think we’re going to have a breakthrough here until the president (Trump) and President Putin interact directly on this topic.” This sentiment mirrors earlier remarks made by Trump, emphasizing the necessity of direct dialogue between the two leaders to resolve the conflict.
The Secretary of State characterized the current diplomatic situation as a logjam, firmly asserting that Trump is the only figure capable of breaking this deadlock. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had previously traveled to Turkey following an invitation from Putin for talks, only for the Russian president to later decide against attending in person. Instead, he dispatched a second-tier team of aides and deputy ministers to represent Russia in Istanbul.
Rubio pointed out that the choice of lower-level officials sent by Russia does not signify any imminent breakthrough in negotiations. Nevertheless, he affirmed that Trump remains committed to the dialogue process and is willing to engage in discussions until peace is achieved.
When inquired about ongoing efforts to facilitate a meeting between Trump and Putin, Rubio mentioned that Trump would make decisions concerning this after concluding his trip to the Middle East. “Probably we’ll wait until he finishes with his trip ... We’ll wait to see what happens tomorrow, and then those decisions will be made about a timeline,” he explained.
This development underscores the complexities of international diplomacy, particularly as the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate. The focus remains on whether direct talks between Trump and Putin can pave the way for peace in the region.
