On May 15, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the only way to achieve a breakthrough in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is the personal intervention of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rubio stressed that the US administration will closely monitor the progress of the talks in Istanbul, scheduled for Friday, May 16, before making a decision on a possible meeting between Trump and Putin.

"We will monitor the progress of the talks on Friday before deciding whether to schedule a possible meeting between Trump and Putin.", Reuters quotes Rubio as saying.

Rubio expressed skepticism about the current composition of the Russian delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. In his opinion, the level of the team sent by Russia "does not indicate a breakthrough." The Russian delegation includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin. At the same time, Ukraine sent a delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

The Istanbul talks, initiated by Putin on May 11, resume the dialogue that was interrupted in 2022. Medinsky said the goal is to continue the peace process to establish a long-term peace. However, Zelensky insists on a 30-day ceasefire as a precondition, stressing that without Putin's personal participation, the talks will not be productive. Erdogan confirmed Turkey's readiness to facilitate the dialogue, providing a venue in Dolmabahce Palace. The United States sent Rubio to Istanbul, as well as Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg as observers.