President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday reiterated Türkiye’s determination to support a just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, highlighting the country’s ongoing role as a mediator in the conflict.
In a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Erdoğan underlined Ankara’s commitment to advancing peace efforts through diplomacy and expressed satisfaction with the recent prisoner exchange, which was agreed upon during previous talks held in Istanbul, the Presidency said on X.
Erdoğan noted that Türkiye remains in favor of continuing the dialogue process that began in Istanbul. He emphasized that hosting a second round of negotiations in the same city, with strong delegations from both sides, would help sustain the momentum toward peace.
"A possible cease-fire discussed during the upcoming talks would lay the foundation for a lasting solution,” Erdoğan reportedly said during the call, adding that Türkiye stands ready to support these efforts in any way possible.
The president also stressed the importance of elevating the talks to the leadership level after the interdelegation meetings conclude, saying such a step would further strengthen the peace process and should not be delayed.
President Zelenskyy later confirmed the call on social media, describing it as "good and very substantive." He thanked President Erdoğan and the Turkish people for their principled support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
"We spoke about the first meeting in Istanbul. The POWs exchange was an important achievement of that meeting, but unfortunately, the only one,” Zelenskyy said. "A ceasefire is necessary in order to move forward toward peace. The killings must stop.”
He added that discussions included the conditions under which Ukraine would agree to participate in a second round of talks in Istanbul, stressing that such a meeting "cannot and should not be empty.” The two leaders also explored the potential organization of a four-party summit involving Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and the United States at the leadership level.
Since the outbreak of the war, Türkiye has maintained close contact with both Kyiv and Moscow, offering to host negotiations and facilitating humanitarian agreements, including the Black Sea grain corridor and several prisoner swaps.
Erdoğan’s call with Zelenskyy comes amid renewed international focus on diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, as the toll of the war continues to grow. Türkiye, which maintains strong relations with both countries, is widely viewed as a key actor capable of bridging gaps and encouraging dialogue.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday was received by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Kyiv.
On May 16, Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in three years in Istanbul, where the two sides notably agreed to a large-scale exchange of prisoners involving a total of 1,000 people from each side.