The US president had previously suggested he might attend peace negotiations in Istanbul US President Donald Trump © Getty Images / Andrew Harnik / Staff US President Donald Trump has said that only a personal meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will lead to progress in resolving the Ukraine conflict. Delegations from Moscow and Kiev were expected to meet in Istanbul on May 15, following Putin’s proposal last week to resume direct dialogue aimed at a lasting settlement. The Kremlin team waited for Kiev’s representatives to arrive beginning on Thursday morning. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky announced later in the day that he was sending a delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The talks have reportedly been pushed back to Friday. Trump, who earlier urged Kiev to accept Putin’s proposal told reporters on Thursday, Trump said. Earlier this week, the US president floated the idea of joining the Istanbul talks but later downplayed the possibility, citing a full schedule. On Thursday morning, he told journalists,
