Russia and Ukraine are holding their first direct peace talks since March 2022, in Istanbul on Friday, but U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he did not have “high expectations.”
Rubio told reporters Thursday, it was “abundantly clear” that there would be no breakthrough unless there was a direct meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Friday, Trump told reporters in Abu Dhabi a meeting with Putin would happen “as soon as we can set it up.”
“I think it’s time for us to just do it,” he added.
Rubio said he would meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the Ukrainian delegation on Friday, while other State Department officials would speak to the Russian delegation….