Zelenskyy ready for potential Putin meeting in Türkiye, says foreign minister

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on Sunday that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prepared to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Türkiye. Speaking to Ukrinform on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Sybiha said: “We have appealed to Türkiye to consider the possibility of organizing a meeting at the level of President Zelenskyy and Putin, with the possible participation of Presidents Erdogan and Trump.”

Türkiye’s unique diplomatic role

Sybiha praised Türkiye’s diplomatic capabilities, stating that Ankara has the ability to make “truly unprecedented, unique achievements in diplomacy.” He added that Kyiv has “effective proposals” and hopes Türkiye can “play and accelerate the peace process” surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war. Türkiye previously hosted peace talks in the initial weeks of the war and again in mid-2025, with three rounds of renewed talks in Istanbul last year producing major prisoner swaps and draft memorandums.

Talks paused amid US focus on Iran

Under US mediation, Moscow and Kyiv held three rounds of peace talks earlier this year in Abu Dhabi and Geneva, but negotiations have since been paused, with both sides attributing the halt to Washington’s focus on Iran. Sybiha also described Türkiye as a “strategic partner” of Ukraine, noting growing trade turnover and untapped potential for cooperation, including in defense. He added that he received an unusually high number of meeting requests at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.