US President Donald Trump will not travel to Turkish Istanbul on Turkish Istanbul on the negotiations of Ukraine with Russia on Thursday. This was stated on Wednesday by US officials after the Kremlin announced the composition of the Russian delegation. Russian President Vladimir Putin is not listed in the official list of members of the delegation. TASR reports according to Sky News and CNN.
According to CNN Trump, which is currently traveling around the Gulf countries, he has repeatedly encouraged speculation that he could participate in negotiations in Istanbul over the past few days. US officials say that the change of Trump’s schedule would be logistically demanding, and it would also be a “diplomatic call” to prepare the president for negotiations in such a short time.
American delegation
Nevertheless, the head of the White House said on Wednesday that he would keep the possibility of open until the last moment that he would arrive in Turkey on Thursday, May 15. The White House officially announced that Istanbul will go to the US for the US head of the Ministry of Diplomacy Marco Rubio, as well as special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg.
Thursday’s direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul was proposed last week by Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Genskyj responded to it that he would come to Turkey in person, and he called for the same Putin, who he said he has a decisive word in Russia on the issue of war.
Greeding on Tuesday said that if the US President joined these peace negotiations, it could give the Kremlin’s boss a stimulus to participate. The head of the office of Ukrainian President Andri Jermak said on Tuesday that Zelenskyj will not meet any Russian representative except Putin in Istanbul. Sky News reports that Zeranskyj is already on its way to Turkey. The Ukrainian president announced this week that he would meet Turkish counterparts Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.
Who will come for Russia?
On Wednesday evening, the Kremlin published a list of members of the Russian delegation to negotiate with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul. The Russian President is missing on this list. According to the Kremlin announcement, the delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky. He was the main Russian negotiator even during peace negotiations three years ago.
Other members of the delegation, according to the Kremlin’s statement, are Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Galužin, Deputy Russian Defense Minister Alexander Fomin and director of the Russian military intelligence GRU Igor Kostiukov. In addition, there are several experts on the list of delegation members.
The Russian news agency reports that the document on the composition of the delegation was signed by Putin on Wednesday, just a day before the planned negotiations.
