Rubio: Putin must personally participate in the negotiations. A breakthrough requires a conversation with Trump
A "breakthrough is needed" in the dialogue between Russia and Ukraine. And the only way is through negotiations between US President Donald Trump and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who should personally participate in the peaceful dialogue, US Secretary of State Macro Rubio, said, according to The Guardian.
"I think it's pretty clear that the only way to get a breakthrough here is through negotiations between President Trump and President Putin," he said .
The secretary of state does not believe that "anything productive" will happen from this point on until Trump and Putin have a "very frank and direct conversation." According to him, the US president is ready for this conversation and is "impatient" for the end of a full-scale war. He is the only one who can "break this logjam.".
"He just wants to end the war, he doesn't care who gets the credit for it. The only way to achieve a breakthrough ... is for the president to be directly involved, perhaps on a personal level, and to determine once and for all what the Russian side wants and whether peace is possible," the US Secretary of State summarized .
At the same time, he noted that the level of the negotiating team that Russia sent to Turkey does not indicate a breakthrough in the peace dialogue. In his opinion, Putin should personally participate in the negotiations .
"I hope I'm 100% wrong. I hope tomorrow the news will say that they agreed to a ceasefire [and] agreed to start serious negotiations. Honestly, I don't think it's going to happen," he summarized .
- on May 15, Trump said that without his meeting with Putin, there would be no shift in negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine.
- The US leader also believes that Putin did not come to the talks in Istanbul because he would not be there.
- The British Defense Minister said, that we need to put pressure on Putin, to sit down at the negotiating table.
- Zelenskyy suggested that may not meet with Putin, if technical delegations are able to agree on a ceasefire.
- Britain noted that Russia will be represented at the talks by a "low-level" delegation.
