US President Donald Trump has offered to travel to Turkey for talks on ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, contingent on Russian President Vladimir Putin's participation. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump stated that he believed Putin would prefer his presence at the talks, and he was open to attending if it could lead to an end to the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has challenged Putin to meet him in Turkey, but Russia has not confirmed who would be part of the talks, which could take place on Thursday or Friday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Russian delegation would be in Istanbul on May 15 but declined to specify who would attend.
Zelensky has emphasized the importance of Putin’s direct involvement in the negotiations, saying that it is his war and thus, the talks should be with him.
Trump, who had campaigned on the promise to quickly end the war, also noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be in Istanbul to further diplomatic efforts. Trump’s willingness to engage comes amidst growing frustration over the lack of progress in Russia-Ukraine diplomacy, as well as calls for greater European support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression.
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