In a significant development, Türkiye has expressed its willingness to host another round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterating his country’s commitment to facilitating peace. This move marks a crucial step towards resolving the ongoing conflict, which has seen a recent shift with Ukraine resuming direct talks with Russia earlier this month.
Fidan, speaking alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a joint press conference in Moscow, emphasized that securing global peace is a duty that his country takes seriously. “We consider securing global peace our duty. Our president, Mr. [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, has been strongly calling on the world community to seek peace since the start of the war,” Fidan said, underscoring Ankara’s readiness to serve as a mediator.
The Turkish Foreign Minister also highlighted his recent meetings with key Russian officials, including Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia’s negotiating delegation in Istanbul, and President Vladimir Putin, where bilateral relations and the path forward for negotiations were discussed. Lavrov, praising Turkish hospitality, expressed his personal preference for Istanbul as the venue for the next round of peace talks, describing it as “a very nice place.”
Ukraine’s return to the negotiating table comes after pressure from US President Donald Trump, who is mediating a truce between the two countries. Initially, Kiev and its European backers had demanded a 30-day unconditional ceasefire from Moscow before engaging in talks. However, the initial round of negotiations, held in Istanbul on May 16, resulted in the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine since the conflict escalated in 2022.
Russian officials are currently drafting a roadmap that includes a conditional ceasefire, aiming to support further dialogue. Despite this, Moscow has expressed opposition to Kiev’s proposal for a pause in hostilities, citing concerns that it would allow Ukraine to regroup militarily. An earlier suggestion by Trump to hold the second round of talks at the Vatican was met with reservations from Russia, with Lavrov arguing that the Catholic center would not be a neutral venue for negotiations between two predominantly Orthodox Christian nations, given Moscow’s accusations that Ukraine is targeting Orthodox Christians as part of its efforts to suppress Russian culture.
As the international community watches the developments with keen interest, the willingness of Türkiye to host further negotiations offers a glimmer of hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. With the world urging for an end to the violence, the coming days will be crucial in determining the success of these diplomatic efforts and the future of Russia-Ukraine relations.
