Milan, 16 May (LaPresse) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that he will not participate in talks between Ukraine and Russia to be held today in Istanbul, Turkey, and that he does not expect a breakthrough in negotiations on the war in Ukraine until Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet “face to face”. Rubio added that he will meet with the Ukrainian foreign minister and a Ukrainian delegation today and that ‘someone from our team will be involved in the talks with Russia.’ According to the BBC, Michael Anton, director of US political planning, will take part in the negotiations in his place. Rubio has nevertheless arrived in Istanbul. ‘I was going to come here anyway, obviously,’ he said. ‘But we came because we were told there might be a direct confrontation between the Russians and the Ukrainians. That was the original plan. You all heard the same thing. It wasn't supposed to be this way.’