U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced that he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Istanbul on Friday, Reuters reports. According to the agency, the visit is connected to the proposed negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested holding direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 without any preconditions. According to him, such negotiations could lead to a ceasefire agreement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Moscow is committed to finding a long-term peaceful resolution aimed at addressing the root causes of the conflict and ensuring Russia’s interests.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once again presented conditions that Moscow had previously deemed unacceptable. He stated that Kyiv would only be ready to engage in dialogue after a complete ceasefire, starting from May 12.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged the Ukrainian authorities to accept Putin’s proposal and participate in the negotiations in Turkey. According to Trump, such talks could at least help determine whether a deal is possible. Later, Zelensky said he would be waiting for President Putin in Turkey on Thursday.
