US Secretary of State Mark Rubio said Thursday that the only way to make significant progress in attempts to end her war Russia to Ukraine are the direct conversations between the president Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putinafter Moscow sent a lower level delegation to talks in Turkey.

Rubio, who spoke to reporters in Antalya, said he would go to Constantinople for meetings on Friday with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and a Ukrainian delegation, but added that he had no high expectations.

“My estimation is that I don’t think we will have a significant progress here until the president (Trump) and President Putin will discuss this issue immediately,” Rubio said, said Rubio, Repeating that Trump himself said earlier today.

“The level of the delegation sent by the Russian side does not imply progress,” the US Foreign Minister said, adding: “We will see what will happen in Friday’s talks and then decide the timetable of a possible meeting between Trump and Putin.”

Earlier, Rubio said in diplomats that “Europe’s involvement in peace talks is critical.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Rubio agreed during a meeting in southern Turkey that efforts to promote immediate talks to end the war between Ukraine and Russia would continue on Thursday. It is noted that Fidan and Rubio met on the sidelines of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Antalya.

It is noted that the Ukrainian President’s plane Volodimir Zelenski He departed from Ankara, according to Reuters, citing flight monitoring data. Earlier, he announced that Minister of Defense Rastem Umero will lead the Ukrainian delegation.

Meanwhile, a source from the Russian news agency TASS said that Russia -Ukraine talks in Istanbul will take place on Friday, May 16th.

You can see here what happened today in the diplomatic thriller in Istanbul for the Ukrainian.

Washington-Damascus conversations to normalize relationships

Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State met his Syrian counterpart to discuss relations after lifting sanctions against Damascus decided by President Trump.

The head of US diplomacy, located at the Turkish seaside resort of Antalya for the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting, began talks with Syrian counterpart Assad Al Sampani, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

High -ranking Turkish officials attended the meeting in the doors, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the official added.

Turkey was the main supporter of the loom-locking attack in December Islamists, who expelled President Bashar al-Assad after years of civil war.

Turkey and Saudi Arabia have put pressure on better relations with the new Syrian government and to remove the economic pressure exerted by Assad’s era.

During a visit to Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump announced that he would lift the sanctions stating that he wants to give SYRIES “an opportunity”.

Trump noted during his voyage to the Gulf that he was checked when he made the announcement at an investment conference.

In Riyadh, Trump met with Syrian transitional president Ahmad al -Sarah, who was recently included in the list of US sought -after and described him as a “charming lad”.

Trump said Rubio was going to discuss more details of normalizing relationships during his meeting with Syrian counterpart.

Rubio chat with Netanyahu

Rubio also said, after talking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, that Washington is concerned with the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Speaking to reporters in Antalya, the leader of US diplomacy said the US is not unmoved in the face of people in Gaza, where no humanitarian aid has been delivered since March 2.

In addition, Marco Rubio said today that it is open to any new idea that would allow Gaza to surrender, as a plan supported by the US and Israel has been strongly criticized.

“We are open to an alternative if one has a better one. We are in favor of any aid we can gather without Hamas being able to steal it from the population, “the US Deputy Foreign Minister told reporters during his visit to Turkey.