16.05.2025 16:22
The trilateral meetings between Turkey, the USA, Ukraine, and Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, hosted by Turkey, have concluded. The meetings addressed the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Here are the developments that occurred hour by hour during the discussions, in which Russian President Putin was continuously informed...
The peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, hosted by Turkey, have concluded with the trilateral meetings of Turkey-US-Ukraine and Turkey-Russia-Ukraine.
The Turkey-US-Ukraine Trilateral Meeting was held at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul.
According to information obtained from sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkish, American, and Ukrainian delegations met at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
In the one-hour meeting, the Turkish delegation included the President of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), İbrahim Kalın.
The US delegation included the country's Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack, and Keith Kellogg, the Special Representative of US President Donald Trump for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian delegation included the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rüstem Umerov.
UKRAINE: OUR DELEGATION IS IN ISTANBUL FOR UNCONDITIONAL CEASEFIRE
The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, stated on his Telegram account, "Ukraine is ready for peace and a lasting, unconditional ceasefire. We are also ready for high-level meetings and negotiations. The Ukrainian delegation is in Istanbul today to secure an unconditional ceasefire. This is our priority. Another important issue is the direct meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, who for some reason cannot come to Turkey."
Yermak noted in his post:
"The Russians want to associate (the Istanbul peace negotiations) with the year 2022, but the only thing linking today's negotiations to that period is the city of Istanbul, nothing else. All of Russia's attempts to link the current situation to 2022 will end in failure."
THE TURKEY-RUSSIA-UKRAINE TRILATERAL MEETING WAS HELD
According to information obtained from sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkish, Russian, and Ukrainian delegations also met at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The meeting lasted approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, and the Turkish delegation included the President of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), İbrahim Kalın.
The Russian delegation, chaired by Vladimir Medinskiy, an advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, included Deputy Foreign Minister Mihail Galuzin, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of Russia (GRU) Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin, among others.
The Ukrainian delegation, chaired by Defense Minister Rüstem Umerov, included Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya, Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Oleksandr Poklad, Deputy Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Oleh Luhovskyi, and other officials.
FIDAN: WE MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Foreign Minister Fidan said, "We are pleased to see that strong commitments have opened a new window of opportunity before us."
Fidan emphasized the importance of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky listening to the peace calls of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump.
Fidan stated that the readiness of Russia and Ukraine to start direct talks made today's critical phase possible, saying, "As you can appreciate, at this stage, there are two paths. One of the paths will initiate a process that will lead us to peace, while the other will lead to further destruction and loss of life. The parties will decide for themselves which of these paths they will choose."
Fidan expressed that they have been making intense efforts since the beginning to find a way to end the war, stating, "Our President has also made significant efforts to bring the parties together. The visit of Ukrainian President Zelensky to Ankara has been an important step towards initiating negotiations."
Fidan also emphasized their satisfaction in hosting the Russian delegation participating in the talks, stating, "Hosting representatives of both sides in Istanbul demonstrates our strong will to end the war."
Fidan pointed out that the meeting is the first direct contact between the parties since March 2022, stating, "We must take advantage of this opportunity to move forward on the path to peace. Every day that is delayed leads to more loss of life."
As the Russia-Ukraine War continues to claim lives, Fidan emphasized the critical importance of implementing a ceasefire as soon as possible, stating, "There is also an opportunity for the ceasefire to be achieved simultaneously with the negotiations. I would like to particularly emphasize one point here. We will determine the next phase together based on the choices we make and the steps we take."
Fidan pointed out that these talks are also very important in terms of laying the groundwork for a leaders' meeting, stating:
"We sincerely believe that it is possible to achieve peace through negotiations with a constructive understanding. I want to clearly emphasize once again that Turkey will always be by your side in our efforts to end the war and achieve peace. We are also ready to provide any possible contribution to peace. I once again welcome you all to Istanbul and wish success to the parties in the technical negotiations to be held."
PUTIN WAS CONSTANTLY INFORMED
Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov evaluated the peace negotiations in Istanbul to journalists in the capital Moscow.
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Speaking about the possible contacts between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, Peskov stated, "Contacts between Putin and Trump are extremely important in the context of a solution regarding Ukraine, bilateral and international relations, and regional issues, but careful preparation is required for this."
Peskov pointed out that the Russian delegation in Istanbul is in constant communication with Moscow, saying, "Putin receives all information online, and reports are continuously provided."
Peskov emphasized the importance of the peace negotiations in Istanbul, stating, "Naturally, all eyes are now on how the negotiations in Istanbul will develop. We hope that direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations will begin soon. For now, there is nothing to say; let's wait for the talks to start."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree yesterday regarding the formation of the Ukrainian delegation that will participate in the peace negotiations to be held in Istanbul.
Sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that a series of meetings in different formats will be held in Istanbul, and that trilateral meetings in the form of U.S.-Ukraine-Turkey and Russia-Ukraine-Turkey are on the agenda.
Today, it was reported that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the U.S. delegation led by Rubio, the Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and the Russian delegation led by Russian President Vladimir Putin's advisor Vladimir Medinskiy will be in Istanbul.
Rubio also noted that the U.S. delegation will meet with a high-level delegation from Ukraine and participate in the Russia-Ukraine negotiations.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR AND NEGOTIATIONS
The war that erupted with Russia's attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has largely annexed Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
With the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Ukraine lost control over approximately one-fifth of its territory.
While the U.S. and European countries provided extensive economic and military aid to Ukraine, they imposed heavy sanctions on Russia, which annexed a large area.
After the talks in Belarus, the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine met at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 10, 2022.
Turkey also brought the parties together in Istanbul on March 29, 2022.
The compromise achieved by the parties in the Istanbul negotiations was disrupted by allegations of civilian killings in the city of Bucha, while claims emerged that the UK and the U.S. opposed the agreement.
Despite the escalation of the war, Turkey continued its efforts for peace, and with the support of the United Nations (UN), it brought the parties together again that year, leading to the signing of the Black Sea Grain Initiative Agreement, which resonated widely around the world.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, one of the rare leaders who can engage with both sides, continued to offer hosting and mediation for peace talks, while diplomacy gained momentum again with Donald Trump's election as president in the U.S.
On May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the unconditional resumption of direct negotiations, which had been cut off three years ago, on May 15 in Istanbul, requesting President Erdoğan to host.
The Ukrainian administration responded positively to this, and the international community welcomed the agenda of the Istanbul peace talks.
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