Rubio says no meaningful progress can occur in Ukraine peace talks unless Trump and Putin meet directly.

Rubio and Trump Suggest Path to Peace Lies in Personal Diplomacy

Senator Marco Rubio expressed skepticism Thursday over the effectiveness of Ukraine peace talks in Turkey, stating that no real progress could occur without direct engagement between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rubio’s remarks came as both leaders confirmed they would not attend the rescheduled discussions now slated for Friday.

The talks were initially planned for Thursday but quickly unraveled after it became clear that neither Putin nor senior Kremlin officials would be present. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had arrived in Turkey, along with other officials and mediators, but uncertainty around participation led to delays and frustration. The gathering was ultimately pushed to Friday.

“Frankly, at this point, I think it's abundantly clear that the only way we're going to have a breakthrough here is between President Trump and President Putin,” Rubio told reporters. “It's going to require that level of engagement.” He further added, “I don't think anything productive is actually going to happen from this point forward… until they engage in a very frank and direct conversation, which I know President Trump is willing to do.”

Trump Signals Readiness, Blames Scheduling Conflict

While Trump had hinted earlier in the week that he might join the talks in Turkey if progress was made, his travel plans remained uncertain. At the time, he was completing a diplomatic tour of the Middle East. On Thursday, speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump indicated that Putin’s absence was due to a scheduling miscommunication. “He was going to go, but he thought I was going to go. He wasn't going if I wasn't there,” Trump told reporters.

“Look, nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together. OK?” he continued. Trump’s comments reinforced Rubio’s belief that a face-to-face meeting is the only viable route to peace. No details were offered about potential future plans for a Trump-Putin meeting.

Secretary of State Rubio emphasized that while the administration remains committed to pursuing peace, it cannot afford to “continue to fly all over the world and engage in meetings that are not going to be productive.” He reiterated, “The only way we're going to have a breakthrough here is with President Trump sitting face to face with President Putin and determining once and for all whether there's a path to peace.”

Zelenskyy voiced clear disappointment in Putin’s absence and the lack of structure surrounding the talks. “No time of the meeting, no agenda, no high-level of delegation – this is personal disrespect to Erdoğan, to Trump,” he said during a press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The delay has cast fresh doubt on the prospects for near-term diplomatic breakthroughs. With both major leaders absent and no concrete timeline for renewed high-level engagement, the fate of peace negotiations remains uncertain.