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Trump still undecided on Istanbul visit — CNN

The official also confirmed that Trump’s special envoys, Steven Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will be present at the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations as observers

NEW YORK, May 13. /TASS/. No decision has been made yet whether US President Donald Trump will visit Istanbul to sit in on Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, CNN reported citing a US administration official.

Trump said on May 12 that if his presence at the upcoming talks is needed to bring the sides closer to a deal, he will not shy away from coming there. A US administration official told CNN that the likelihood of Trump coming to Istanbul would go up if Russian President Vladimir Putin also decides to participate.

The official also confirmed that Trump’s special envoys, Steven Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will be present at the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations as observers.

Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the early hours of May 11, Putin urged Kiev to resume direct talks suspended in 2022, without preconditions. The plan is to start dialogue in Istanbul on May 15. Putin also recalled that Russia had declared multiple ceasefires that Kiev consistently broke, including a recent truce during the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Vladimir Zelensky, in turn, announced plans to travel to Istanbul on Thursday. The statement came after Trump urged Ukraine to immediately accept Putin’s offer for talks. Prior to that, Zelensky had insisted that a 30-day ceasefire should precede any negotiations with Moscow.