U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Turkey next week amid a suggestion to renew Russia-Ukraine peace talks, the White House said in a statement published May 11.
Rubio will accompany U.S. President Donald Trump on a May 11–14 visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar aimed at deepening regional partnerships and discussing global security concerns. He will then continue to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The visit comes as Russia publicly proposes restarting peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul beginning May 15, but without agreeing to the unconditional 30-day ceasefire demanded by the United States, Ukraine, and key European allies.
"Secretary Rubio's engagements with senior officials will advance solutions to global and regional challenges, expand bilateral trade and investment, and reaffirm our strategic partnerships," the White House said.
At the NATO meeting in Antalya, Rubio is expected to promote President Trump’s agenda of "ensuring that our Allies contribute their fair share" to NATO and to push for a unified stance on ending the war in Ukraine.
The trip follows Russia’s offer, announced May 11, to resume negotiations in Istanbul, which, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Russia wishes to be based on the terms of the 2022 Istanbul discussions and the "current situation on the battlefield." Kremlin wants discussions to renew before any ceasefire agreement.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova emphasized that Putin "clearly said: first negotiate about the root causes, and then we can talk about a ceasefire."
Moscow's demands include the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four partially occupied regions, the formal recognition of their annexation, the recognition of Crimea, a ban on NATO membership, and changes reinstating the role of the Russian language and church.
U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg reacted on X, saying, "As President Trump has repeatedly said, stop the killing!! An unconditional 30-day ceasefire first and, during it, move into comprehensive peace discussions. Not the other way around."
Anna Fratsyvir
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