President Trump’s senior envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, are scheduled to travel to Istanbul on Thursday for talks aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to three sources that spoke to Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will only participate in the talks if Russian President Vladimir Putin is present, an aide to Zelenskyy said Tuesday. Moscow has not confirmed whether Putin will make the trip. Pressed on who would represent Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, “As soon as the president sees fit, we will announce it.” The senior U.S. official said Washington does not expect clarity on Moscow’s plans until early Thursday.
President Trump said Monday he would travel to Istanbul himself if necessary. He is currently in the Middle East for meetings with officials in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
Over the weekend, U.S. officials urged Zelenskyy to publicly agree to meet with Putin in Istanbul to signal a willingness to negotiate a peace deal. The U.S. is hoping Russia will agree to a 30-day ceasefire covering land, air, sea, and critical infrastructure, according to the official, who added that Kyiv has already committed to the proposal. European governments also support the plan.
