On Sunday, President Trump called on Ukrainian leaders to consider meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey later this week, aiming to negotiate an end to the ongoing three-year conflict.
“Putin isn’t interested in a ceasefire,” Trump stated. “He prefers to gather in Turkey on Thursday to discuss a potential violent outcome. Ukraine should agree soon.”
In his post, Trump mentioned that the meeting “could help us see if an agreement is feasible.”
He expressed skepticism about Ukraine’s willingness to finalize a contract with Putin, remarking that the Russian leader seems preoccupied with celebrating a historical victory.
Additionally, the Trump Post suggested working towards a “long-term and lasting peace,” following Putin’s proposal for direct talks in Istanbul on Sunday. This occurred just hours after Russia launched drone attacks on Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Voldy Mie Zelensky showed openness to negotiating, though he firmly stated the need for a thorough, complete agreement first.
On Monday, Trump discussed efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, describing their call as “very good and productive.” They covered topics related to the war and also addressed situations in Syria and Gaza.
Trump mentioned he had received an invitation to visit Turkey and extended an invitation for Erdogan to come to Washington.
“I’m looking forward to collaborating with President Erdogan to put an end to this absurd and deadly war,” Trump noted.
Turkey, being a NATO ally, has sought to maintain ties with both Ukraine and Russia throughout the conflict.
Recently, Trump has voiced optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement to stop the fighting, though he acknowledged that the U.S. might step back from mediation efforts if progress stalls.
“We’re seeing movement on one side, but it may be slower with the others. We need to keep an eye on this,” he remarked in an interview aired on May 4.
On the same day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s office announced that he would travel to Turkey before accompanying Trump to Saudi Arabia and Qatar later this week.
Rubio aims to discuss “the alliance’s security priorities, including further investments and efforts to conclude the Russian-Ukraine conflict.”
Earlier this month, Rubio emphasized his belief that peace between Russia and Ukraine is still achievable, but noted that Eastern European nations are feeling the strain of ongoing conflicts, with no clear military resolution in sight.
