The president said he plans to visit the United Arab Emirates on May 15, but could instead fly to Turkey if it helped negotiations along.
President Donald Trump may travel to Turkey this week to help mediate a round of peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators.
On May 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin pitched the idea of Russian and Ukrainian representatives meeting in Istanbul on May 15, for a round of direct talks to end more than three years of fighting between their two countries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded the following day, signaling a willingness to support the talks.
Zelenskyy has said he would even attend the talks personally if Putin did the same, setting the stage for a possible leader-level discussion.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on May 14, amid his ongoing Middle East tour, Trump said Putin wants him to attend the meeting in Turkey.
Still, Trump noted that many details of the meeting are still undecided.
“I don’t know if he’s showing up. I know he would like me to be there. And that’s a possibility,” Trump said.
Trump’s current travel schedule may make a stopover in Turkey challenging.
“We’re going to [the United Arab Emirates] tomorrow. So we have a very full situation,” Trump told reporters. “Now, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it to save a lot of lives and come back.”
Trump noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to visit Turkey this week.
“Marco’s going and Marco’s been very effective,” he said.
At the same time, Trump said he’s unsure whether Putin would attend the talks in Turkey if he doesn’t also attend.
On May 14, the Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation would be in Istanbul on May 15 for possible talks with Ukrainian counterparts.
Still, the Kremlin declined to specify who would represent the Russian side at the talks.
By Ryan Morgan
