President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has expressed his willingness to mediate the next round of peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.
Speaking after a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Ankara, Erdogan suggested that Turkey would be an ideal location for such negotiations. His remarks came as Zelensky, who wasn’t invited to the US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, reaffirmed Ukraine’s frustration with being left out of critical discussions.
Erdogan emphasized that for a just peace to be achieved, powerful nations must take a stance in favor of peace. He reminded attendees that Turkey had previously facilitated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul back in March 2022 and brokered a deal to enable Ukrainian grain exports later that year. He stressed that Turkey’s role as a mediator has been focused on achieving tangible results and maintaining trust with both sides.
Zelensky, for his part, voiced his belief that alongside the US, UK, and EU, Turkey should help craft the necessary security guarantees for Ukraine. He also thanked Ankara for its continued support of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Zelensky had earlier expressed disappointment over Ukraine’s exclusion from the recent Riyadh meeting between Russia and the US, reiterating that Ukraine would not accept any peace deal made without its involvement. Ukrainian and EU officials were also vocal about their frustration with US-Russia talks taking place without their consultation.
US President Donald Trump responded to these grievances, noting his disappointment with Ukraine’s reaction. He pointed the finger at Ukraine for not securing a deal with Russia earlier in the conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, cited Ukraine’s reversal on previously agreed terms in 2022 as the reason the talks in Istanbul fell apart. He claimed that Ukraine’s refusal to transform into a neutral, demilitarized state was a major sticking point. Victoria Nuland, a former senior State Department official, later confirmed that Western countries had advised Ukraine against accepting Russia’s terms.
Zelensky has insisted, however, that it was he, not external pressure, who rejected Moscow’s conditions. More recently, Moscow has reiterated its demands: Ukraine must renounce NATO membership, abandon its claims to Crimea, and drop its objections to Russia’s annexation of four other regions. Putin has also dismissed Zelensky’s legitimacy, citing his expired term and the ongoing state of martial law in Ukraine.
