Rubio outlines US expectations from Russia-Ukraine talks
US President Donald Trump is prepared to accept any mechanism that leads to peace between Russia and Ukraine, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. His statement comes as delegations from Kiev and Moscow are expected to meet in Istanbul on Thursday for their first direct talks since 2022.
Speaking at a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in the Turkish resort city of Antalya on Thursday, Rubio said, “We are open to being constructive and helpful in any way we can to end the conflict.”
“We’ll see what happens over the next couple of days, but we want to see progress made in that regard,” Rubio said. “I will say this and I’ll repeat it: there is no military solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This war is going to end not through a military solution but through a diplomatic one.”
Negotiations were proposed last week by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who offered to resume a direct dialogue between Moscow and Kiev without any preconditions to reach a lasting resolution to the conflict.
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky had said he was ready to engage in talks, but insisted on an unconditional 30-day ceasefire first – a demand Moscow has repeatedly rejected. Zelensky also said he would engage in the talks in Istanbul only if Putin attends in person.
However, the Russian leader’s proposal was backed by US President Donald Trump, who urged Kiev to “immediately” accept it. Following Trump’s comments, Kiev seemingly shifted its position.
On Wednesday, the Russian president announced that the country’s delegation would be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who played the same role during previous negotiations with Kiev in 2022. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin and the head of Russia’s military intelligence, Igor Kostyukov are also set to participate.
The US president said he could potentially alter ongoing travel plans in the Middle East. “If something happened, I’d go on Friday if it was appropriate,” he told journalists in Qatar on Thursday morning.
Trump reiterated his wish to end the Ukraine conflict and expressed hope “that Russia and Ukraine are able to do something, because it has to stop.”
