Trkiye Proposes to Host Second-round of Negotiations Between Russia and Ukraine

Ankara: Trkiye hopes to host Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the attendance of U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the next possible round of peace negotiations.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, as a NATO member, Turkey has worked to balance its ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, positioning itself as a crucial mediator while U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a resolution to the conflict.

“We sincerely think that it is possible to cap the first and second direct Istanbul talks with a meeting between Trump, (Vladimir) Putin and (Volodymyr) Zelensky, under the direction of (Recep Tayyip Erdogan),” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said while on a visit to Kyiv.

Fidan further stated, “We can either close our eyes to the continuation of this war, or to reach a durable peace before the end of the year. Expectations for a ceasefire and peace have increased.”

He added, “Progress can certainly be made as long as we remain at the negotiating table,” highlighting his intention to meet with Zelensky in Kyiv later in the day.

Earlier this week, Fidan held talks with senior officials in Moscow. After the first-round talks in Istanbul ended in disappointment, U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled he’s losing patience with Russian President Putin and is starting to doubt Moscow’s willingness to make peace.