In a rare diplomatic move, delegations from Russia and Ukraine have arrived in Türkiye for direct peace talks aimed at ending the prolonged war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in Ankara earlier today and held a high-level meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of the negotiations scheduled to take place in Istanbul.
While the talks are seen as a glimmer of hope in a conflict that has devastated Ukraine and strained global security, Russian President Vladimir Putin who originally proposed the meeting chose not to attend, sparking criticism from European powers. They labeled Moscow’s delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister and current aide to Putin, as “low-level,” questioning Russia’s seriousness in pursuing a peaceful resolution.
President Zelenskyy had publicly urged Putin to appear in person to demonstrate genuine commitment. His meeting with Erdoğan is being viewed as a key moment in Türkiye’s continued efforts to act as a mediator between the warring nations. Türkiye has hosted several previous rounds of negotiations and remains one of the few countries maintaining active dialogue with both sides.
Adding further weight to the proceedings, U.S envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, representing President Donald Trump, are reportedly en route to Istanbul. Trump has stated he may attend the talks himself if meaningful progress is achieved.
Photos released by Ukrainian and Turkish press offices show President Zelensky shaking hands with Türkiye’s newly appointed Ukrainian ambassador Nariman Dzhelyal at Esenboğa Airport, and later in deep discussion with Erdoğan at the Presidential Palace.
With pressure mounting on all sides to de-escalate the war, global eyes are now on Istanbul to see whether this long-awaited round of talks can produce a breakthrough.
