Rubio says only Trump-Putin meeting can break Ukraine peace talk deadlock

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed a sense of disappointment and pessimism ahead of the peace talks in Turkey, which have been thrown into disarray after both Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump announced they would not be attending. The talks, originally scheduled for Thursday, were pushed back to Friday as frustration grew among the delegations and mediators.

Rubio emphasized the importance of direct engagement between President Trump and President Putin in order to achieve a breakthrough in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He stated, “I don’t think anything productive is actually going to happen from this point forward… until they engage in a very frank and direct conversation, which I know President Trump is willing to do.”

The peace talks were initially proposed by Putin, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreeing that the leaders of both nations should engage in direct dialogue. However, the absence of Putin and senior members of the Kremlin from the talks has raised doubts about the potential for progress in resolving the conflict.

President Trump had hinted at the possibility of attending the talks if progress was made, but it was never confirmed that he would be present. Trump suggested that Putin’s decision not to attend was due to a scheduling miscommunication and stated that no real progress could be made until he and Putin had a face-to-face meeting.

Rubio emphasized the need for Trump and Putin to engage directly in order to determine a path towards peace. He stated, “The only way we’re going to have a breakthrough here is with President Trump sitting face to face with President Putin and determining once and for all whether there’s a path to peace.”

Zelenskyy expressed his frustration over the lack of communication and preparation for the talks, describing it as a sign of disrespect from Putin. He criticized the absence of a set time for the meeting, an agenda, and a high-level delegation, stating that it showed Putin’s “attitude is unserious.”

As the talks in Turkey are rescheduled for Friday, the future of the negotiations remains uncertain. Rubio reiterated that Trump is committed to achieving peace but emphasized the need for direct engagement between the two leaders in order to make any significant progress. The hope remains that a breakthrough can be achieved through face-to-face dialogue between Trump and Putin.