Zelenskyy seeks Turkish role in upcoming Ukraine-Russia talks

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Saturday that he and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed the possibility of Türkiye joining peace negotiations to end the war with Russia. The Ukrainian president said the two leaders also weighed holding those talks on Turkish soil.

Zelenskyy made the comments to reporters in Istanbul following a meeting with Erdoğan. He confirmed that preparations are underway for a trilateral meeting involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia during the first half of November. The leaders reviewed the prospects for that session and other diplomatic options. These alternatives include broader involvement from Europe and other partners.

"We're currently preparing for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US and Russia in the first half of November," Zelenskyy said. "Mr President and I have discussed the prospects for the meeting and other options, including the possible involvement of Türkiye, Europe and all our partners, as well as the possibility of a meeting here in Türkiye."

The Ukrainian president emphasized the need for decisive action to secure peace. He argued that all levels of government must send Russia clear signals that there is no alternative to ending the conflict and that support for Ukraine will remain steady.

This visit marks a continuation of recent diplomatic activity involving Ankara. In early October, Erdoğan spoke by phone with Vladimir Putin to discuss Black Sea security. Days before the Istanbul meeting, Erdoğan told Donald Trump that Türkiye is ready to help restart the diplomatic process between Kyiv and Moscow. Ankara has also worked to resume grain exports via the Black Sea, a topic on which Ukraine has provided positive feedback.

Zelenskyy arrived in Istanbul on Saturday for the bilateral session with Erdoğan. The next scheduled step in the diplomatic timeline is the trilateral meeting planned for the first half of November.