Turkey is ready to host direct talks between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has officially confirmed his willingness to act as a mediator and organize peace talks at the head-of-state level to end the war in Ukraine.
This was announced by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who emphasized Ankara’s openness to supporting dialogue.
The Turkish side has already held preliminary contacts with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
According to Fidan, Turkey is capable of providing not only organizational support but also creating the necessary conditions for a constructive process.
“Turkey is ready to join in advancing the peace process in Ukraine at all levels—both at the technical level and at the leadership level,” Hakan Fidan emphasized.
He also noted that the success of the initiative depends primarily on the actual willingness of the parties directly involved in the conflict to meet.
In an interview with Ukrinform, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga outlined the parameters of a potential meeting proposed by Kyiv.
Ukraine has approached its Turkish partners with a proposal to organize talks between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia with the mandatory participation of mediators.
“We have asked Turkey to consider the possibility of organizing a meeting at the level of Presidents Zelenskyy and Putin, with the possible participation of Presidents Erdogan and Trump. We are ready for this meeting,” Andriy Sybiga stated.
The potential participation of U.S. President Donald Trump is viewed as a key factor in exerting international pressure.
The Ukrainian minister noted the high effectiveness of Turkish diplomacy in resolving complex crises. However, he stated that the Russian leadership’s unwillingness to engage in direct contact stands in the way of holding the summit.
“The only thing is that Putin is currently in hiding. But the Ukrainian president is ready for such a meeting. We want to end this war. We have effective proposals,” Andriy Sybiga emphasized.
He added that Ukraine has a clear plan for achieving a just peace.
The Russian side continues to avoid specifics regarding the timing or format of a potential dialogue.
While Kyiv demonstrates openness to diplomatic avenues for resolving the conflict, the Kremlin shows no signs of readiness for real compromises.
Lavrov stated that negotiations with Ukraine are not a priority for Russia
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