Peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are set to take place in Istanbul, yet expectations for meaningful progress remain low. Senior U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio expressed skepticism about any imminent breakthroughs, emphasizing the need for direct involvement from global power leaders, reports Rks News.
“I don’t believe we’ll see progress here until Trump and Putin engage directly on this issue,” Rubio said following the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in southern Turkey.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his country’s participation in the talks but voiced dissatisfaction with the composition of the Russian delegation, calling it “low-level.” On the other hand, Moscow maintains that its delegation is fully empowered to negotiate. Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky stated that the team possesses “all necessary mandates.”
Meanwhile, speaking from the Middle East during an official visit, Donald Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of success in the talks without a direct meeting between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He stressed that only such dialogue could lead to a real resolution.
