I hope I am wrong: Rubio urged Russia to achieve a ceasefire by May 16.

Marco Rubio on negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed skepticism about achieving significant progress in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul. These remarks were made during a press briefing in Turkey.

'I hope I am wrong. I hope I am 100% wrong. I hope that tomorrow morning there will be news about a ceasefire. But that is not my assessment,' Rubio said.

Marco Rubio also noted that unless Presidents Trump and Putin intervene directly, significant progress in the peaceful resolution of the conflict between the countries is unlikely.

Negotiations in Istanbul

As part of Turkish-American mediation efforts, meetings took place between delegations from Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul to discuss possible ways to resolve the conflict. The Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations was led by Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that the main task regarding the negotiations is to achieve a ceasefire in the region. He also reported an intensification of offensive actions by Russian troops on various fronts, particularly in Sumy, where a significant concentration of troops has been recorded.

The leader of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, confirmed readiness to discuss compromises and described the negotiations in Istanbul as a continuation of the negotiation process that was suspended in 2022.