During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of keeping dialogue channels open and stated that Türkiye would welcome Russian and Ukrainian leaders for face-to-face talks if they agree.
According to the Turkish Communications Directorate, Erdoğan stressed the urgency of accelerating peace efforts and expressed full support for dialogue at both the technical and presidential levels. He underlined that direct negotiations and common ground are crucial to reducing human losses.
Diplomatic efforts to revive the Istanbul talks, which stalled in 2022, have gained momentum. Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, noted that Moscow’s primary objective is to achieve long-term peace and address the root causes of the conflict.
President Zelenskyy confirmed that the Ukrainian delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, is prepared to stay in Istanbul until May 16 to continue talks. He said this move reflects respect for the initiatives of President Erdoğan and former U.S. President Donald Trump, and hopes it will mark a step toward de-escalation.
