Everything possible is being done to establish talks between Russia and Ukraine - Braze

RIGA - Everything possible is being done to establish talks between Russia and Ukraine, but we have already predicted at the national level that they are unlikely to take place between the leaders of the countries in Turkey, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze (New Unity) told LETA. She is attending the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Turkey on Wednesday and Thursday.

LETA has already reported that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will not attend the Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul, the Kremlin confirmed on Wednesday. Putin is sending his aide Vladimir Medinsky to Turkey as head of the Russian delegation, the Kremlin statement said.

According to the Latvian foreign minister, there are no signs that Russia wants to end the war and achieve peace, as evidenced by the fact that the 30-day unconditional ceasefire called for by the leaders of various countries has not been reached.

It has already been reported that Putin proposed on Sunday night that Russia resume talks with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul, which were suspended in the spring of 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that he would go to these talks, but was only prepared to meet Putin, who takes decisions on the war with Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump, who is currently visiting the Gulf States, has admitted the possibility of attending the talks if Putin came.

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters on Wednesday that he and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio would travel to Istanbul on Friday. The White House has announced that Secretary of State Rubio will be joined in Turkey by Trump's special envoys Witkoff and Keith Kellogg.