01.11.2026 20:40
The Turkey option has come to the fore again in diplomatic contacts aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that they are ready to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey and said that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could step in for a possible leaders’ summit. Zelensky noted that Erdoğan’s relations with both Putin and US President Donald Trump could contribute to the peace process.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Türkiye. Stating that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s relations with both Putin and US President Donald Trump could contribute to the organization of a leaders’ summit, Zelensky said they would be pleased if Türkiye hosted such a meeting.
“I HOPE FOR TÜRKİYE’S MEDIATION”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war must be increased. Stating that he trusts Türkiye’s mediation role, Zelensky noted that in addition to his relations with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Erdoğan’s contacts with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could also contribute to the process.
Noting that a trilateral meeting at the leaders’ level in Türkiye has come back onto the agenda, Zelensky said that if Ankara realizes such a summit, Ukraine would welcome it.
“WE ARE READY TO MEET WITH PUTIN IN TÜRKİYE”
In an exclusive interview with CNN Türk, Zelensky, asked whether he was ready to meet with Putin in Türkiye, replied, “Yes, we are ready. We are ready for this meeting in Türkiye.”
Arguing that Türkiye can conduct realistic mediation without taking sides with either party, Zelensky drew attention to the importance of direct meetings between leaders. Stating that talks between technical delegations alone do not yield sufficient results, the Ukrainian leader said he thought there was no problem that could not be solved if political will was demonstrated.
HE DREW ATTENTION TO ERDOĞAN’S RELATIONS WITH TRUMP AND PUTIN
Noting that President Erdoğan’s relations with both Trump and Putin could be effective in the peace process, Zelensky reported that the issue of organizing a leaders’ summit in a trilateral format in Türkiye was also discussed.
The Ukrainian leader stated that if Türkiye could realize this organization, they would be pleased to attend the meeting, and said, “If Türkiye can achieve this, we would accept it and would only be pleased.”
HE MET WITH ERDOĞAN IN ISTANBUL
On October 31, Zelensky met with President Erdoğan at the Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul. During the meeting, diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, security in the Black Sea, and relations between the two countries were discussed.
In his statement after the meeting, Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye was ready to make the necessary efforts for a fair and lasting peace. He stated that the negotiations Türkiye had previously hosted between Russia and Ukraine had been able to produce concrete results.
Zelensky’s announcement that he was ready to meet with Putin in Türkiye brought the possibility of a new leaders-level summit back onto the agenda in Ankara’s diplomatic efforts to end the war. However, there is not yet a definitive statement that Putin will participate in such a meeting.