Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday declared a “historic opportunity” to launch direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, offering to host President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Vladimir Putin together for peace talks in Türkiye “when they are ready”, as hopes grow for progress toward ending the conflict.
Erdogan made the remarks after a nearly three-hour closed-door meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. During the bilateral session and subsequent working lunch, Erdogan reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to mediating peace and emphasised that the war must end through direct negotiations between the warring parties, according to a statement from the Turkish Presidency.
“There is a historic opportunity to start negotiations,” Erdogan said, adding that Türkiye supports peace efforts both at the technical and leadership levels. He underlined Ankara’s readiness to host both leaders “when they are ready.”
Following the meeting, Zelenskyy announced that he would send a Ukrainian delegation, headed by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, to Istanbul for talks with Russian counterparts. “Out of respect for President Trump and President Erdogan, I have decided to send our delegation to Istanbul now,” Zelenskyy said in Ankara.
The upcoming talks in Istanbul, expected to continue until May 16, mark a renewed effort in Türkiye’s role as a key mediator between Kiev and Moscow.
Zelenskyy, however, tempered expectations, stating that a face-to-face meeting with Putin would be unnecessary if a ceasefire could be reached during the technical-level negotiations in Istanbul. “If there is an agreement at the technical level, there may be no need for a separate summit with Putin,” he told reporters.
At the same time, he stressed that if Moscow refuses to engage meaningfully, other countries should increase political and economic pressure on Russia. “We ask for appropriate sanctions if there are no serious decisions from Russia,” Zelenskyy said.
Meanwhile, a Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul earlier on Thursday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the team’s presence but noted uncertainty regarding Kiev’s participation. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Our delegation is waiting, but there are no Ukrainians yet,” he told reporters in Moscow.
Peskov also said there were no current plans for Putin to attend the talks and declined to speculate on future high-level engagements. “It’s too early to say what kind of participation will be required next, or at what level,” he added.
Türkiye’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun earlier said that Erdogan’s meeting with Zelenskyy would comprehensively address the war in Ukraine and push for an immediate ceasefire and meaningful dialogue.
The meeting in Ankara was attended by key Turkish officials including National Defence Minister Yasar Guler, National Intelligence Organisation head Ibrahim Kalin, and Chief Presidential Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Cagatay Kilic.
Zelenskyy arrived in the Turkish capital earlier in the day, landing at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport. He was welcomed by Ukrainian officials attending an informal NATO foreign ministers meeting in the southern Turkish city of Antalya.
With both Ukrainian and Russian delegations expected to convene in Istanbul, and Erdogan extending his invitation for a leaders' summit, Türkiye is once again at the heart of diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the nearly decade-long conflict.
