Witkoff, Kellogg Reportedly to Attend Thursday’s Istanbul Talks

The US’s Russia envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg will reportedly attend the Kyiv-Moscow talks in Istanbul on Thursday. 

Reuters, citing “three sources familiar with the plans,” reported on Tuesday the alleged arrangements after US President Donald Trump, who traveled to the Middle East in his first major foreign tour, teased a day prior that he might attend himself. 

Kellogg later told Fox Business that Trump might attend if Russian leader Vladimir Putin also shows up. 

“We’re hoping President Putin shows up as well, and then President Trump will be there. This could be an absolutely incredible meeting,” Kellogg said.

Russia has not said who will attend the talks, and a senior US official said Moscow might only publicize who will attend the talks on Thursday morning, hours ahead of the planned meeting.

Thursday’s upcoming talks were initiated by Putin on Sunday in response to the West’s ceasefire ultimatum on Saturday. 

In his speech, Putin claimed Russia had always been open to a ceasefire and blamed Kyiv for previous plans that had fallen through without answering the latest ceasefire call. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would attend the talks in person and asked for Putin to do the same. Zelensky’s aides later said he would talk to Putin and Putin only.

The West previously set a deadline for Moscow to comply with the ceasefire starting Monday, which has been ignored by Moscow. 

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