American officials are planning an important trip to Istanbul: on Friday, May 16, a diplomatic activity is expected to intensify regarding the Russia-Ukraine war
The White House envoy, US President's adviser Steve Vitikoff, along with Secretary of State Mark Rubio, will travel to the Turkish capital to discuss the situation surrounding the conflict and possible ways to resolve it. Information about this visit has been confirmed by sources in diplomatic circles and journalists in Doha, where Vitikoff briefly commented on the upcoming trip, noting that the dates and format of the negotiations are still being clarified. Details regarding the specific composition of the Russian delegation are currently limited: official confirmation has not been provided as to whether President Vladimir Putin will personally participate in the planned meetings. It is only known that the negotiations may take place at a high level or in the format of direct meetings between Ukrainian and Russian delegations. At the same time, earlier reports mentioned the possibility of such meetings taking place on Thursday; however, the exact level of participants remains unknown. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he has a meeting planned with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Thursday. However, he added that the open question remains: if Vladimir Putin agrees to come to Istanbul, then the Russian president himself, as well as the Turkish president, will appear. Zelensky presumes that such a development is unlikely and expresses doubt about Putin’s willingness to participate in the third most important meeting in this geographical dynamic. Meanwhile, the White House has stated that it is currently impossible to forecast whether Putin will attend the scheduled negotiations in Turkey. According to US President Donald Trump, he personally does not have clear information about the Russian leader’s intentions. It is also important to note that on the eve of diplomatic events, Russia is silent about the composition of the Russian delegation that is expected to participate in the upcoming negotiations. This development indicates high tension and uncertainty surrounding the upcoming talks, which could potentially become key in finding ways to end the war and stabilize the situation in Eastern Europe. Expectations in diplomatic circles are continuously growing, as any move by the parties could significantly influence the possible format and outcomes of the upcoming negotiations in Istanbul.