U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday expressed skepticism about the prospects of a breakthrough in the anticipated peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which were scheduled to take place in Istanbul. Speaking after a NATO meeting in Antalya, Turkey, Rubio said he held “no high expectations” for the discussions, citing the low level of Russian representation and uncertainty surrounding the timing of the meeting.
“I want to be frank. I don’t think we have high expectations of what will happen tomorrow,” Rubio told reporters. His remarks followed earlier comments from President Donald Trump, who asserted that meaningful progress would likely require direct talks between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin a meeting that has not yet materialized.
Russia and Ukraine had been expected to engage in their first direct peace talks in over three years on Thursday, but as the day progressed with no concrete information on the start time, doubts emerged about whether the meeting would occur later in the evening or be postponed to Friday. Rubio noted that the Russian delegation was “not at the levels we had hoped it would be at,” signaling a lack of senior leadership or decision-making authority within the group sent to Istanbul.
Despite his pessimism, Rubio expressed cautious hope. “I hope I’m wrong. I hope they have tremendous breakthroughs tomorrow,” he said. However, he added that he did not believe real progress could be achieved without a face-to-face meeting between President Trump and President Putin.
In the meantime, Rubio confirmed he would meet with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga in Istanbul, while a lower-level U.S. official would represent Washington in any discussions with the Russian side. He also expressed optimism that Turkey, as host, could play a constructive role in bringing the two sides together.
The talks, if they proceed, come at a critical juncture as international pressure mounts for a resolution to the ongoing conflict. However, given the current diplomatic signals, expectations for a meaningful outcome remain low.
