Rubio pointed to the absence of high expectations of the United States from the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

The United States does not have high expectations from the talks between Russia and Ukraine, which are planned in Istanbul. This was announced on May 15 by the American Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"In my assessment, I don't think we will achieve a breakthrough here until the President [of the United States Donald Trump] and the President [of Russia Vladimir] Putin will not begin to interact directly on this topic," the Reuters news agency quoted him as saying.

Territorial principles: how the dialogue between Russia and Ukraine can begin

And what is capable of disrupting the first direct negotiations in three years?

Earlier in the day, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the American delegation had arrived in Istanbul for talks between Russia and Ukraine. He clarified that Rubio is in Antalya. European foreign ministers have also arrived there to discuss the settlement of the situation in Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the current events related to the negotiations between the delegations from Moscow and Kiev in Istanbul an intrigue. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that the Russian delegation had arrived in Istanbul for talks with Ukraine and was ready for serious work.

On May 11, Putin initiated direct negotiations, inviting the Ukrainian side to resume dialogue on May 15 in Istanbul. Later, the Russian leader approved the composition of experts for negotiations with Ukraine. The delegation was headed by Vladimir Medinsky, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation.