Trump Hints at Possible Attendance at Turkey Talks if Putin Joins

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, 14 May 2025 (BSS/AFP) – US President Donald Trump has suggested he may consider attending upcoming talks on Ukraine in Turkey, but only if his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, also commits to being present.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, as he travelled from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, Trump remarked, "I don't know that he (Putin) would be there if I'm not there. I know he would like me to be there, and that's a possibility. If we could end the war, I'd be thinking about that."

However, Trump noted that he is already scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates on Thursday as part of the final leg of his Gulf tour. Despite this, he left the door open to a potential detour, adding, "That doesn't mean I wouldn't do it to save a lot of lives."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is already set to travel to Istanbul on Friday to take part in the talks. "Marco is going, and Marco has been very effective," Trump said, suggesting confidence in his envoy's role at the negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for a direct meeting with Putin, warning that a failure by the Russian leader to attend would signal a lack of genuine interest in peace.

While Putin has publicly called for negotiations, the Kremlin has so far declined to confirm whether the Russian president himself will participate in the talks.

Trump, who previously vowed to bring an immediate end to the Ukraine conflict upon taking office, has expressed frustration in recent weeks, particularly after Russia reportedly rejected an initial 30-day ceasefire proposal aimed at creating a path towards a broader peace agreement.