Trump returns to US without meeting Putin in Istanbul
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump says he is returning to the US after a tour of the Persian Gulf. He will not meet with Vladimir Putin, Reuters reports.
"Let's see what happens with Russia and Ukraine," he said in Abu Dhabi.
The day before, Trump had suggested that he might travel to Istanbul, where Vladimir Putin had been invited for talks.
Trump said he would meet with Putin as soon as his team can organize it.
Negotiations in Türkiye
Vladimir Putin offered to hold direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15. Trump then demanded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accept the offer.
Zelenskyy said he would come to Turkey and wait for Putin there. Instead, the Kremlin sent a low-level delegation, similar to the one it sent in 2022 for talks that were not serious.
Trump, who is in the Middle East, initially said he might make a trip to Türkiye if peace talks took place. But after Putin refused, Trump tried to smooth over the embarrassment by saying, nothing will happen until Putin and he meet.
Negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia with the participation of Türkiye, begin today in Istanbul.
Before the meeting, the Ukrainian delegation met with the US and Türkiye. Ukraine is represented at the meeting with the United States and Türkiye by the head of the Presidential Office, Andrii Yermak, and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Türkiye is represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The United States is represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
