Trump ready to join Ukraine-Russia talks in Turkey "if appropriate"

Clash Report announced this on the social media platform X.

“I would go to Türkiye on Friday if it’s appropriate for the Ukraine-Russia talks,” the outlet quoted the U.S. leader.

As reported by Sky News, during his visit to Qatar, Donald Trump also commented on journalists' questions about the absence of Russian leader Vladimir Putin from the talks in Turkey.

"Why would he go if I'm not going? I didn't think it was possible for Putin to go if I'm not there," said the U.S. President.

It’s worth noting that earlier, President Trump stated that his tight schedule would not prevent him from meeting with Vladimir Putin if the latter came to Istanbul on May 15.

Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Istanbul

In a nighttime address on May 11, Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed he was ready for direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey next week, but he dismissed the idea of a 30-day truce. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would keep working with both sides and predicted that the coming week would be “great.”

On May 12, the German government announced that if Russia did not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine by the end of the day, European partners would begin preparations for new sanctions. In contrast, the Kremlin stated that “the language of ultimatums is unacceptable for Russia.”

Advisor to the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, Mykhailo Podolyak, said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not meet with any Russian representative other than Vladimir Putin in Turkey on May 15. Later, Zelenskyy himself confirmed his personal visit to Turkey for a meeting with Putin.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the talks in Istanbul with Kyiv should recognize the "realities on the ground," including Russia’s incorporation of Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that if his meeting with the Russian leader takes place on May 15 in Turkey, the main topics of discussion will be a complete ceasefire and a full exchange of prisoners of war.

On the evening of May 14, Russia announced the composition of its delegation for talks with Ukraine in Istanbul.