US Casts Doubt on Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks

Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks: US Expresses Low Expectations. The ongoing peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have hit a snag, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing significant doubts about their success. Rubio's skepticism stems from Russia's decision to send a lower-tier team to the talks in Turkey, a move interpreted by Ukraine as a lack of seriousness. "It's my assessment that I don't think we're going to have a breakthrough here until the President (Trump) and President Putin interact directly on this topic," Rubio stated. This mirrors Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's assessment of the Russian delegation as 'decorative'. Russia, however, countered by accusing Ukraine of attempting to stage the talks. The situation underscores the deep divisions and challenges in achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict.