Rubio: U.S. rep to participate in Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul

WASHINGTON. May 16 (Interfax) - A representative of the U.S. president's administration will take part in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

"I'll be meeting tomorrow with the Foreign Minister [Hakan] Fidan and Ukrainian delegation [...] Someone from our team will be involved in the Russia talks. They sent a more lower-level group over here," Rubio told journalists.

The U.S. Department of State published the transcript of Rubio's remarks.

"I hope that those talks will be between Ukraine and Russia with our Turkish counterparts in the room, along with someone from our team or members from our team at the appropriate level," he said.

Rubio also said that he does not have any "high expectations" regarding the upcoming talks.

"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," he said.

"The president is impatient [...] He's impatient, as he's been - clearly said that something needs to happen soon," Rubio said when asked by a reporter how soon the U.S. and Russian leaders could meet.

Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, as in 2022, is heading the Russian delegation to the Istanbul talks with Ukrainian representatives on orders from President Putin.