THE first day of new peace talks between Russia and Ukraine concluded in Istanbul on Thursday, marking the highest-level direct discussions since 2022, with Turkey and the United States also taking part. The talks ended with cautious optimism regarding potential progress.
According to sources from Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cited by Anadolu Agency (AA), the meetings are expected to continue on Friday, involving delegations from Russia, Ukraine, the United States, and Turkey.
While a trilateral meeting between the US, Ukraine, and Turkey is planned, as well as a separate meeting between Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey, it remains unclear if a four-party meeting will take place.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is expected to host US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and Russian Deputy President Vladimir Medinsky.
Facilitated by Turkey, the talks represent the first direct negotiations between the conflicting parties since early 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Ankara on Thursday to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before deciding on Ukraine's participation in the new talks.
Following their meeting, Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s participation in the Istanbul discussions but expressed doubts about the composition of the Russian delegation.
“Despite Russia’s delegation being at a somewhat lower level, out of respect for President (Donald) Trump, Turkey’s high-level delegation, and President Erdogan, and wanting to at least take the first step toward easing tensions and ending the war, I decided to send our delegation to Istanbul—though not in full,” he said.
Zelenskyy praised Turkey’s “multidimensional” role in peace efforts and described his visit as the beginning of a “very meaningful conversation at the highest level.”
The Russian delegation, led by Medinsky, arrived at the Dolmabahce Palace, the venue for the talks, where Medinsky stated that his team had full authority to negotiate, viewing the meeting as a continuation of the 2022 Istanbul process.
“The goal of direct negotiations with Ukraine is to achieve long-term peace,” he said, calling for a constructive approach.
Erdogan, in a statement following his meeting with Zelenskyy, emphasized Turkey’s willingness to facilitate dialogue and said that Ankara would be open to hosting a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders when the time was right.
He called the talks a historic opportunity for peace and stressed the urgent need to find common ground to prevent further loss of life.
After departing from an informal NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Antalya, Fidan traveled to Istanbul and met with the Russian delegation at Dolmabahce Palace. Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed that several additional meetings would take place on Friday.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, speaking in Abu Dhabi at the end of his Middle East tour, indicated that he “might” return to Washington on Friday, but was also considering a surprise visit to Istanbul.
He noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attendance would likely depend on his own presence.
“Clearly, he won’t come if I don’t show up. I don’t believe anything will happen until he and I meet. But we need to resolve this because too many lives are being lost,” Trump said.
Rubio also stated that Washington “has no high expectations” for the outcome of the new negotiations. - May 16, 2025
