Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Russia’s suggestion for a second round of peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2 had the potential to lead towards permanent peace. Being a NATO member and enjoying cordial relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, Turkey has been at the forefront in brokering talks since the war started.
Turkey first hosted the early peace talks in March 2022, soon after Russia invaded Ukraine, and again on May 16, the first face-to-face encounter between the two parties in three years. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan just met recently in Moscow with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and officials in Kyiv on Friday.
Addressing an airlift from Azerbaijan, Erdogan averred that Ankara was in active negotiations with the two sides and termed increased momentum in negotiations as a chance to achieve a lasting solution. “The path to a resolution passes through more dialogue, more diplomacy. We are employing all our diplomatic efforts and peace potential,” Erdogan said.
Although Russia and Ukraine did not come to an agreement on a ceasefire during their May talks, they agreed on a large prisoner exchange of 1,000 people and exchanged initial positions on a possible truce outline.
Fidan, speaking to Turkish media as he rode a train from Poland to Kyiv, admitted divergent ceasefire terms between the two but stressed the importance of compromise and international support. He mentioned that Russia’s territorial claims are still controversial under international law but opined that a legal process may not be at the heart of achieving a deal.
The Turkish foreign minister also spoke of intentions to continue coordinating with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pointing to ongoing diplomacy aimed at promoting peace in the region.
