U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday (May 14, 2025) that he would consider heading to Turkiye for discussions on Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin also made the trip.
“I don’t know if he (Putin) would be there without me,” Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One en route from Saudi Arabia to Qatar.
“I’m aware that he would prefer my presence, and that’s a possibility. If we can bring an end to the war, I would consider it,” he added.
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However, Trump mentioned that he already had plans to visit the United Arab Emirates on Thursday as part of his Gulf tour.
Nevertheless, when asked about a potential visit to Turkey, he remarked, “That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it to prevent loss of lives.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Istanbul on Friday. “Marco is going and Marco has been very effective,” Trump noted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Putin to attend a face-to-face meeting in Turkiye this week, cautioning that a failure to do so would signal Moscow’s lack of interest in seeking peace.
While Putin has expressed a desire for negotiations, Russia has not confirmed his participation.
Trump had promised to resolve the Ukraine conflict promptly upon taking office and had exerted pressure on Zelenskyy, but has recently expressed frustration following Russia’s rejection of an initial 30-day ceasefire proposal.
Published – May 14, 2025 05:39 pm IST
