Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan opened Wednesday’s third Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine Trilateral Meeting at Istanbul’s historic Çırağan Palace with a clear message: “The ultimate goal is to build a path to peace through a cease-fire.”
His remarks set the tone for an intense two-hour session aimed at advancing negotiations to end the protracted Russia-Ukraine war that began in February 2022.
High-level delegations from Russia and Ukraine joined Türkiye’s diplomatic, intelligence, and military leaders – including National Intelligence Organization head İbrahim Kalın and Chief of General Staff General Metin Gürak – underscoring Türkiye’s pivotal role as a NATO member trusted by both Moscow and Kyiv.
The conflict has exacted a heavy toll, with U.N. estimates reporting over half a million casualties and millions displaced as of mid-2025.
Türkiye has played a key mediation role from the onset, hosting initial talks in 2022 and facilitating the Black Sea Grain Initiative to enable Ukrainian grain exports.
The trilateral talks resumed this year after renewed diplomatic momentum driven by U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, both maintaining direct communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The military stalemate persists, with Russia holding approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbas, while Ukraine struggles with setbacks in eastern regions like Donetsk.
Both sides express cautious willingness to negotiate, pressured by ongoing battlefield deadlock and mounting economic strains.
At the heart of Wednesday’s talks were three key areas. Ukraine pressed for a comprehensive 30-day cease-fire paired with full territorial restoration and security guarantees, while Russia sought a long-term peace framework contingent on Ukraine’s non-alignment with NATO and relief from Western sanctions.
Both sides presented updated cease-fire proposals, delegating technical teams to refine terms ahead of future discussions. Fidan stressed the urgent need for “concrete steps” to end hostilities that have devastated Ukraine’s infrastructure and imposed significant costs on Russia’s economy.
Humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia, were central to the dialogue.
Building on a 1,000-for-1,000 swap earlier this year, Ukraine proposed expanding exchanges to include injured soldiers and young conscripts, aiming for up to 6,000 prisoners returned.
Russia agreed to review these proposals, with both parties reaffirming commitment to easing human suffering.
The safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant also drew focus, with agreement to pursue demilitarization talks to reduce risks of a potential disaster.
Another critical topic was the potential leaders’ summit, envisioned to bring Putin, Zelenskyy, and possibly Trump together in Türkiye later this summer.
Fidan described the summit as a “critical step” to elevate peace talks to the highest level, highlighting Erdoğan’s rare trust with both leaders.
Zelenskyy expressed readiness to meet Putin if Moscow shows “serious intent,” though Russia prefers to continue lower-level negotiations until groundwork is laid.
Trump’s tentative willingness to attend adds diplomatic momentum amid ongoing logistical challenges.
Fidan also expressed cautious optimism, stating, “Peace is possible if both sides remain committed to dialogue.” Ukrainian and Russian officials echoed the sentiment of tangible progress, while the White House confirmed Trump’s openness to participate in the summit.
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