Zelenskyy and Erdoğan Explore Turkish Role in Ukraine Peace Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are weighing Turkey’s direct participation in diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia. The two leaders spoke during a meeting in Istanbul on Saturday, focusing on the mechanics of upcoming negotiations and the potential for the Turkish capital to serve as a neutral venue.

Zelenskyy told reporters that the primary focus is preparing for a trilateral summit involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. The leaders aim to hold this meeting in the first half of November. According to Zelenskyy, the discussion covered the logistics of that gathering and alternative formats that could include European partners and Turkey. He noted that the possibility of holding talks on Turkish soil was explicitly part of the conversation.

The diplomatic push builds on recent high-level communications involving Ankara. In early October, Erdoğan spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where they addressed security issues in the Black Sea. More recently, Erdoğan informed US President Donald Trump that Turkey intends to support the revival of the diplomatic process between Kyiv and Moscow. Ankara has also signaled progress on resuming grain exports via the Black Sea, with Ukraine providing a positive response to those efforts.

Zelenskyy emphasized the need for decisive actions to force a conclusion to the conflict. He stated that global partners must send consistent signals to Russia at every level that peace is the only viable option. The Ukrainian leader added that support for Kyiv must remain uninterrupted while these negotiations proceed.

The next major step involves finalizing the agenda for the proposed trilateral meeting. Zelenskyy and Erdoğan are currently coordinating with other partners to determine the final format and location for the discussions scheduled for early next month.