Ukraine looks to President Erdoğan for Putin talks

Erdoğan and Türkiye would act as intermediaries rather than as a replacement for Russia or Ukraine at the negotiating table. Their role would be to bring the sides together, support direct dialogue, and help shape practical steps toward peace. Ukraine’s foreign minister said talks could happen with Trump or through Erdoğan’s mediation.

Türkiye has already offered this kind of diplomatic channel. Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara’s readiness during a phone call with Putin. Istanbul has hosted Russian and Ukrainian delegations, while Türkiye helped broker the Black Sea Grain Initiative and supported a major prisoner swap in 2024.

The immediate goal could be a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, with trilateral talks held as soon as possible. Ukraine says such talks could begin with a cease-fire and prisoner exchange. Russia, however, says it wants a comprehensive, long-term peace deal instead of a temporary pause.

Ukraine is proposing limited, immediate achievements before a final settlement. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said possible talks between Zelenskyy and Putin could focus first on a cease-fire and an exchange of prisoners of war. He also said Ukraine wanted trilateral talks as soon as possible.

Zelenskyy separately proposed a 60-day total cease-fire. He linked the pause to organizing presidential elections in Ukraine. This places a temporary halt and a domestic political process at the center of Kyiv’s proposal, rather than requiring the parties to solve every disputed issue first.

Russia rejects that sequence. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow wants a comprehensive, long-term peace deal and does not want a temporary cease-fire. The difference matters because Ukraine seeks an immediate opening for practical humanitarian and political steps, while Russia insists on settling the conflict more fully.

Türkiye’s influence comes from maintaining working relationships with both sides while remaining active in diplomacy. The article describes Ankara as one of the few countries able to facilitate negotiations because it has close ties with the Kremlin and Kyiv. That position gives Türkiye access that many other governments may lack.

Its practical record strengthens that role. Türkiye successfully brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which helped move Ukrainian agricultural exports to global markets. Istanbul also hosted meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. In 2024, Türkiye helped mediate one of the largest prisoner swaps between Russia and the United States since the Cold War.

This does not mean Moscow and Kyiv automatically accept Ankara’s proposals. Türkiye’s foreign minister said the war remains a major threat and that Ankara has made several proposals to both sides. Its influence instead creates a channel for dialogue, even while fundamental disagreements remain unresolved.

Türkiye’s mediation effort extends well beyond the Russia-Ukraine war. The article identifies four separate conflicts or disputes in which Ankara played a diplomatic or political role: Russia-Ukraine, the Karabakh conflict, Libya’s political struggle, and tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia. This broad reach helps explain Türkiye’s rising diplomatic profile.

The methods differ by case. In Ukraine, Türkiye hosted delegations and brokered the grain initiative. In Karabakh, Erdoğan supported Azerbaijan politically and militarily. In Libya, Türkiye backed the internationally recognized government in Tripoli. In 2024, Erdoğan hosted Somali and Ethiopian leaders in Ankara, after which they announced an agreement.

The scale also brings risks and responsibilities. Fidan warned that the Ukraine war threatens regional and global stability, especially in the Black Sea. Türkiye therefore combines mediation with security measures, including strict enforcement of the Montreux Convention and warnings against attacks on civilian vessels.

A cease-fire and prisoner exchange would produce immediate, limited results without resolving the war’s central political disputes. A cease-fire could pause attacks, while an exchange could return prisoners of war to their countries. Ukraine’s foreign minister presented these goals as realistic starting points for talks between Zelenskyy and Putin.

The article shows that Türkiye has experience helping with practical arrangements. The Black Sea Grain Initiative kept Ukrainian agricultural exports moving to global markets. Türkiye also helped mediate a major prisoner swap in 2024 and hosted Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. These examples show how narrow agreements can address urgent needs even when the larger conflict continues.

Such steps could keep diplomacy alive and provide a basis for additional talks. They would not automatically create a final settlement. Russia rejects a temporary cease-fire and says it wants long-term peace, so any limited agreement would still face major political disagreements and questions about its duration.

Moscow’s stated reason is that a temporary cease-fire would not solve the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia wants a comprehensive peace deal and is prepared to do everything possible to achieve long-term peace. He said both Putin and other Russian officials have repeatedly opposed a cease-fire.

Zelenskyy proposed 60 days of total calm so Ukraine could organize presidential elections. The article explains that Ukrainian law prohibits elections during wartime. This makes a cease-fire relevant to Kyiv’s political process, not only to battlefield conditions. Zelenskyy presented the proposal directly as a request to Putin.

The disagreement reflects different priorities. Ukraine presents a temporary pause as a way to enable elections and begin practical diplomacy. Russia instead argues that the pause should not substitute for a final settlement. Moscow has also long argued that Ukraine’s failure to hold elections makes Zelenskyy an illegitimate leader, while wartime law prevents the vote.

Conflicts affect more than territory and troops. They can disrupt trade, threaten shipping, and spread insecurity across nearby regions. Mediators can create channels for agreements that protect food exports, enable prisoner exchanges, or bring leaders into direct contact. These measures do not end a war, but they can reduce some of its wider effects.

Türkiye’s Black Sea role illustrates the mechanism. The Black Sea Grain Initiative facilitated Ukrainian agricultural exports to global markets. Türkiye also strictly enforced the Montreux Convention, which Fidan cited as a concrete part of Ankara’s efforts. At the same time, Türkiye warned both sides after Turkish-owned vessels flying the Turkish flag were targeted.

These tools matter because the Black Sea could become a new front in the conflict. Fidan called attacks on civilian vessels a grave threat to regional security. Continued mediation, protected trade routes, and enforcement of maritime rules could help contain spillover, even if Russia and Ukraine remain far from a final peace agreement.