U
S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Heads to Turkey: A Possible First Step Toward Negotiations Between Zelensky and Putin In the context of intensified diplomatic efforts to resolve the escalating situation in Ukraine and seek peace in Eastern Europe, the U.S. government is preparing to take a new significant step. According to unofficial sources, high-ranking U.S. diplomat and Acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio will soon travel to Turkey. Given Turkey’s role as a mediator and its neutral position, the country could become a platform for potential negotiations between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia. As reported by the American outlet NBC News, this information was confirmed by a high-ranking White House official, adding credibility and likelihood to the event. According to the source, the scheduled format of meetings in Istanbul on May 15 involves not only bilateral talks between Ukraine and Turkey but also a possible meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, which has long been anticipated as a key step toward diplomatic resolution of the current conflict. Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump explicitly stated his participation in these negotiations during a public speech at a forum in Riyadh. In his remarks, he emphasized the importance of U.S. involvement in working toward peace and expressed confidence that Turkish colleagues are ready to serve as mediators in this process. The White House officially confirmed that Rubio, along with presidential envoys Steve Winokoff and Kit Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul to participate in potential negotiations. Meanwhile, attention remains focused on the possible visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Turkey and the absence of information about a direct visit by Vladimir Putin. Officially, the Ukrainian president announced that he has a meeting scheduled with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15. However, he also stressed that if the Russian president agrees to fly to Istanbul for negotiations, then both Zelensky and Erdogan will go to Moscow to hold talks directly with Putin. This indicates a diplomatically purposeful search for the most effective communication formats to cease hostilities. Zelensky also emphasized that Ukraine’s allies are preparing a “strongest package of sanctions” if Russia fails to meet conditions and shows no willingness to negotiate. In his view, these measures could serve as an incentive for the Russian leadership to sit down at the negotiating table in Istanbul and engage in dialogue to end the war. Thus, the entire world is watching this important diplomatic glimmer of hope. Preparations for potential negotiations in Turkey, considering the involvement of high-ranking officials and the possible personal visit by Vladimir Putin, could become a decisive step toward peace and political resolution of the conflict. But whether this diplomatic drama will lead to real results remains an open question for now.