Ukraine war: US secretary of state says ‘abundantly clear’ Trump and Putin needed for peace talks ‘breakthrough’

The delegation is determined to be constructive, to search for possible solutions and common ground. The task of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is sooner or later to achieve long-term peace by eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict.

Russia's presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky (C), head of the Russian delegation sent to Turkey for peace talks with Ukraine, addresses the media outside the Russian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Photograph: Tolga Bozoğlu/EPA

Updated at 11.42 EDT

7h ago11.30 EDT

Summary of the day so far

It’s 6.30pm in Kyiv and Moscow. Here’s a recap of the latest developments:

• Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is sending a team, led by his defence minister Rustem Umerov, to peace talks in Istanbul with Russia, which would mark the first direct negotiations since the early weeks of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelenskyy will not be attending the Istanbul talks himself, after Vladimir Putin refused to travel to Turkey.

Articles and Tweets - 5:40 PM 5/15/2025

Ukraine war: US secretary of state says ‘abundantly clear’ Trump and Putin needed for peace talks ‘breakthrough’ – as it happened | Russia

x.com1h

RT by @mikenov: Netanyahu downgraded to spectator on Trump’s Middle East tour on.ft.com/3GR4Gqf

x.com1h

RT by @mikenov: "Единственный стул, остающийся пустым, - это стул России. На данный момент мы должны констатировать, что РФ хочет продолжать войну, РФ сейчас не хочет серьезных переговоров. И это будет иметь последствия", - заявил глава МИД ФРГ Йоханн Вадефуль об отсутствии Путина в Стамбуле

x.com2h

Peace breakthrough unlikely as Putin declines to meet Zelenskiy in Turkey

x.com3h

RT by @mikenov: Trump: “We’ll be leaving tomorrow, destination unknown…” “Probably going back to Washington…”

x.com3h

RT by @mikenov: 🇺🇸🇦🇪 TRUMP AWARDED UAE’S HIGHEST HONOR — THE ORDER OF ZAYED Gold medal diplomacy: Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan just draped the UAE’s top honor around Trump’s neck in Abu Dhabi. The Order of Zayed is usually reserved for monarchs and legends. Trump’s the first U.S.…

x.com3h

Who are the diplomats Russia and Ukraine are sending to peace talks in Istanbul? | Ukraine

x.com3h

RT by @mikenov: Russia: Putin fired General Oleg Salyukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces.

x.com4h

RT by @mikenov: 🇺🇸🗣️ Moscow sent a "second echelon" delegation to the talks, so the US does not expect significant progress, — Rubio ‼️ But he also said that the US White House hopes that Russia will agree to a "comprehensive ceasefire" in Ukraine tomorrow.

x.com4h

RT by @mikenov: BREAKING 🚨 Arab Emirates just surprised Donald Trump with a VERY special gift. They know Trump is a TRUE Leader Liberals can’t stand this

x.com4h

Zelensky sends delegation to Istanbul, will not attend Russia talks personally. https://t.co/UlTGFy4axw pic.twitter.com/dYYbe3447D

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: KEY statements from Zelensky’s press conference in Turkey: ▪️The main goal of the talks in Istanbul is achieving a ceasefire. ▪️After assessing the composition of the Russian delegation, it became clear that Moscow is not serious about negotiations. ▪️If Russia doesn’t move…

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: Azerbaijan is a dictatorship run by one family. https://t.co/Dme0MTuP8L pic.twitter.com/slz3PRKEAq

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: NATO Foreign Ministers met in Antalya, Türkiye 🇹🇷 to discuss strengthening Allied deterrence and defence, and to move forward preparations for the upcoming #NATOsummit in The Hague 🇳🇱 Tap for all the details from #ForMin ⤵

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: Зеленский: «Мы не можем бегать по миру и искать Путина» Пресс-конференция президента Украины Владимира Зеленского по итогам встречи с турецким лидером Эрдоганом продолжается, он подтвердил, что в Стамбул отправится украинская делегация, которая останется там также в пятницу 16… pic.twitter.com/VrbOVg4CbJ

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: 🇩🇪 Merz: We will confiscate frozen Russian assets if legally possible. pic.twitter.com/GrNTL7dfbO

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: Зеленский отверг отказ от Крыма ради мира с Россией «Мы не можем обсуждать территориальные вопросы. Это нарушение нашей Конституции… Обсуждать, что происходит, какие гуманитарные там кризисы — мы готовы и хотим. Но при всех обсуждениях юридически мы не признаем временно…

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: President Trump at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. They shut down the Mosque for his special visit — the first time it has ever been closed for anyone in history. Historic moment!

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: Given the blatant business of the Trump family, the US must now be considered one of the countries in the world with the greatest top-level corruption.

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: Война в Украине должна быть закончена в результате прямых переговоров между Киевом и Москвой, заявил Реджеп Тайип Эрдоган. Турция готова принять у себя Владимира Зеленского и Владимира Путина для таких переговоров - об этом он сказал Владимиру Зеленскому в ходе их переговоров в…

x.com6h

RT by @mikenov: The US is exerting more pressure on Ukraine than on russia, - Zelensky. Hello Trump, he's noticed.

x.com7h

RT by @mikenov: Реакция спикера МИД РФ Марии Захаровой на слова Зеленского об уровне российской переговорной делегации в Стамбуле.

x.com7h

RT by @mikenov: Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference in Ankara: "If Putin is ready for negotiations — let’s meet. We can’t chase him around the world" Right now, Russia is clearly showing that it does not want to end the war. "Trump is sending Rubio, Turkey’s Foreign Minister is here, and…

x.com7h

RT by @mikenov: ⚡️Zelensky sends delegation to Istanbul, will not attend Russia talks personally. His remarks followed a nearly three-hour closed-door meeting with Erdogan in the Turkish capital, ahead of the planned peace talks in Istanbul. https://t.co/ByaCojGtGT

x.com7h

RT by @mikenov: ‼️👀 Zelensky: If Putin is ready for talks, let’s meet. We can’t chase him around the world. 🗣️ Zelensky: After we saw the level of the Russian delegation, we realized that they are not in the mood for serious negotiations. pic.twitter.com/3rVzuC46sW

x.com7h