In a bid to advance peace efforts with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday. Upon his arrival, Zelenskyy emphasized the significance of the upcoming negotiations, stating that Ukraine’s delegation includes top-level representatives from the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and intelligence agencies.
“We have a top-level delegation,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “Decisions on the next steps in the negotiation process will be made after my discussions with President Erdogan. We need to understand what level of the Russian delegation we’re dealing with and what mandate they have.”
The peace talks are scheduled to take place following a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to resume negotiations in Istanbul. While Zelenskyy has confirmed his participation and expressed hope for productive discussions, Putin is not expected to attend. The Kremlin announced that Russia will be represented by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed optimism about the talks, stating, “The talks to be held in Istanbul will hopefully lead us to open a new page.”
Meanwhile, international observers are watching closely as the conflict continues to impact the region. The last direct talks between Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul in March 2022 but failed to produce a ceasefire agreement.
