Istanbul — it’s where Asia meets Europe, but as we now know, not where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The world's media descended on the Turkish city on May 15,

U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio said on May 15 peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey are unlikely to yield meaningful progress, calling the low-level Russian delegation "not indicative of one that’s going to lead to a major breakthrough.

Turkey is strengthening its position as a mediator in armed conflicts by organizing talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. This is another step by Ankara towards building an image as a diplomatic leader.