DUBAI — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was returning to Washington after wrapping up his Gulf tour, confirming that he wouldn't be traveling to Turkey with his delegation of diplomats, who are meeting Russian and Ukrainian delegations for talks on a possible cease-fire.
"Let's see what happens with Russia and Ukraine," Trump said, adding that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "as soon as we can set it up."
A Turkey foreign ministry force confirmed with Reuters that the meeting between U.S., Ukrainian and Turkish officials had begun in Istanbul. Meeting with Russian negotiators are expected for later on Friday.
These are the first peace talks between the two warring sides in more than three years as both Russia and Ukraine come under pressure from Trump to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
The encounter at the Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus is a sign of diplomatic progress between the warring sides, who had not met face-to-face since March 2022.
But expectations for a major breakthrough, already low, were dented further on Thursday when Trump said there would be no movement without a meeting between himself and Putin.
said on Friday he was returning to Washington after wrapping up
his Gulf tour, confirming that he wouldn't be traveling to Turkey with his delegation of diplomats, who are meeting Russian and Ukrainian delegations for talks on a possible cease-fire.
"Let's see what happens with Russia and Ukraine," Trump said, adding that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "as
soon as we can set it up."
A Turkey foreign ministry force confirmed with Reuters that the meeting between U.S., Ukrainian and Turkish officials had begun in Istanbul. Meeting with Russian negotiators are expected for later on Friday. These are the first peace talks between the two warring sides in more than three years as
both Russia and Ukraine come under pressure from Trump
to end...
