MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday said Istanbul could serve as the venue for a second round of direct peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the war.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Moscow with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, Lavrov expressed Moscow’s support for Turkey’s mediation role.
“As for the second round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, if you ask me, I would again turn to our Turkish friends. Istanbul is very good,” Lavrov said as quoted by Turkey’s Anadolu news agency.
Lavrov acknowledged Turkey’s consistent support for dialogue and noted its effective facilitation of the first direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in over three years, which took place in Istanbul on 16 May.
During the first round of direct talks, both sides agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees each and to continue exploring a possible truce.
“We are grateful to Turkey for its readiness to continue assisting with such negotiations and a peace settlement,” Lavrov stated, underscoring the significance of Ankara’s role in maintaining diplomatic channels between the two warring sides.
Fidan, who is on a two-day official visit to Russia, reiterated Turkey’s readiness to host future rounds of talks. He also conveyed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s continued support for peace efforts.
“Turkey stands ready to contribute to any initiative that brings us closer to peace,” Fidan said, according to statements released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
The two foreign ministers met after Fidan held talks with Russian presidential aide and chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, who led Russia’s delegation during the May 16 talks in Istanbul.
Minister of Foreign Affairs @HakanFidan met with Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, in Moscow. 🇹🇷🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/EkDG7fItsJ
— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) May 27, 2025
On Monday, Fidan also met Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss regional and bilateral matters, with a strong focus on the Ukraine conflict.
The discussions between Fidan and Putin addressed both the latest developments in the war and progress made during the Istanbul negotiations, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said.
Turkey, a NATO member, has positioned itself as a neutral mediator throughout the war. Turkish officials maintain that their country’s balanced stance, strong ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, and proven capacity for shuttle diplomacy make it a credible host for continued peace efforts.
Fidan is expected to visit Kyiv later this week to brief Ukrainian officials on the discussions held in Moscow and to explore the possibility of reconvening talks in Istanbul.
