President Donald Trump on Monday floated the possibility of traveling to Turkey this week to attend scheduled peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
“I would fly there if I thought it would be helpful,” Trump said during an unrelated news conference on drug pricing. The president is traveling this week to the Middle East for a series of meetings in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
He provided no specifics about whether he would attend or how he could help the peace process. Presidential travel is extremely complex — given security and logistical requirements — making it difficult, though not impossible, to alter at the last minute.
Trump pushed the warring countries to pursue the peace talks in Istanbul after Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a 30-day cease-fire ultimatum from Ukraine and its European allies and instead called for direct talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed — and dared Putin to show up in person. Since rejecting the cease-fire, Russia has battered Ukraine with more than 100 killer drones.
“Thursday’s meeting with Russia and Ukraine is really important,” Trump said Monday. “I was really insistent that that meeting take place. I think good things can come out of that meeting. Stop the bloodshed, it’s a bloodbath.”
In response, Zelenskyy said on X “all of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Türkiye.” He added: “I hope that the Russians will not evade the meeting.”
