KYIV: Ukraine has formally requested Türkiye to facilitate a potential meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, as Kyiv attempts to inject momentum into stagnant peace negotiations.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, remarks that were cleared for publication on Wednesday, Sybiha confirmed that Ukraine had approached Ankara alongside other international capitals regarding the possible organisation of such high-level talks.
“We have raised this matter with the Turkish side, as well as with several other capitals,” he said, underscoring Kyiv’s continued diplomatic outreach to secure a neutral venue for negotiations aimed at ending the protracted conflict.
The Ukrainian foreign minister stressed that Kyiv would consider hosting talks in any country except Belarus or Russia. He reiterated that Ukraine rejects any proposal to hold discussions in Moscow, while also ruling out Belarus due to its close alignment with the Kremlin and its role in enabling Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion by providing launch territory.
Sybiha did not disclose Türkiye’s official response to Ukraine’s request, leaving Ankara’s position on the proposal unclear. However, he emphasised that Ukraine remains open to any credible host willing to facilitate dialogue between the two leaders.
“We specifically addressed Türkiye,” he said, adding, “but if another capital—other than Moscow or Minsk—organises such a meeting, we are prepared to attend.” The idea of a Zelensky–Putin meeting has long been pursued by Kyiv as a potential breakthrough in efforts to end the war, which has now lasted more than four years, but no direct summit between the two leaders has yet taken place.
According to Reuters, in separate remarks, Sybiha also noted that he had begun exchanging written communications with Anita Orban, who is set to assume the role of Hungary’s foreign minister following a recent electoral victory by a new government expected to take office later this month.
Diplomatic efforts continue amid shifting political dynamics in Europe, with Ukraine seeking broader international support to restart stalled negotiations and establish a viable framework for peace talks.
