Rubio heading to Türkiye: Does it relate to Putin's proposal on Ukraine war?

The US State Department stated that Rubio will accompany US President Donald Trump to Saudi Arabia and Qatar from May 11 to May 14. During this trip, the president aims to strengthen ties between the United States and its partners in the Gulf states.

"Secretary Rubio’s engagements with senior officials will advance solutions to global and regional challenges, expand bilateral trade and investment, and reaffirm our strategic partnerships," the State Department said.

Rubio's visit to Türkiye

As it became known, from May 14 to May 16, Secretary Rubio will travel to Antalya, Türkiye, to participate in an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers. The agenda will include discussions on security priorities for the Alliance, such as increasing investments in defense by allies and ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

"Looking towards the NATO Summit in The Hague this June, the Secretary will advance President Trump's agenda of ensuring that our Allies contribute their fair share to making NATO stronger and more effective," the State Department added.

Ceasefire negotiations

On May 10, several European leaders arrived in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Following the meeting, they called President Trump.

During the conversation, it became clear that Ukraine, along with all its allies, is prepared for a complete, unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting Monday, May 12.

Zelenskyy confirmed that the ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia is set to begin on Monday, May 12.

However, on the night of May 11, Putin held a press conference during which he rejected the ceasefire proposal starting on May 12.

Instead, Putin suggested continuing negotiations in Istanbul after May 15, resuming talks that began in 2022.