Trump likely not going to Türkiye after UAE visit – Sky News
US President Donald Trump, who had earlier suggested he might travel on 16 May to Istanbul where talks between Russia and Ukraine are planned, has said that he will most likely not go to Türkiye and will head back to the US.
Source: Sky News, citing a senior White House official
Details: According to a Sky News source, Trump will not visit Türkiye now it has become known that Russian leader Vladimir Putin will not attend the talks.
Speaking in the United Arab Emirates, which is the third and final stop of Trump's Middle East tour, he suggested that he will most likely head home next.
Quote from Trump: "We'll be leaving tomorrow. It's almost 'destination unknown'. We're getting calls, 'could you be here? Could you be there?' But we're probably going back to Washington DC."
Background:
- On 14 May, Putin approved the composition of the Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine in Türkiye on 15 May. Putin himself is not on the list.
- Earlier media reports had indicated that Trump would not travel to Türkiye either, although he had previously said he was "considering" visiting if Putin attended.
- On 15 May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Türkiye for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Zelenskyy had earlier said he was ready to travel to Istanbul if Putin arrived there.
- Trump also said he was willing to travel to Istanbul on Friday 16 May for talks on the Russo-Ukrainian war.
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