Turkiye’s Erdogan urges Russia – Ukraine leaders’ summit

Shafaq News/ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed Ankara’s support for the continuation of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, according to a statement from the Turkish presidency.

In a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zeknskyy, Erdogan emphasized the need for high-level delegations from both sides to participate and called for a leaders’ summit to follow once talks between the delegations in Istanbul are concluded.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that both Russia and Ukraine are seeking a ceasefire, urging both sides to reaffirm their readiness to negotiate.

Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed, in a call with his US counterpart Marco Rubio, Moscow’s readiness to negotiate a comprehensive agreement with Kyiv.

On May 16, Turkiye facilitated the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in three years, held in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange involving 1,000 people from each side and continued negotiations toward a truce.