Erdogan Says Putin, Zelensky Not Ready for Talks
(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky have yet to reach an agreement on holding a summit, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
On Monday, during his return from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China, Erdogan told reporters that he had spoken with Putin about the ongoing Ukraine conflict while in Tianjin. The Turkish leader emphasized that his country supports “peace-focused dialogue” and continues to engage with both sides. He pointed out that Türkiye had already facilitated tangible results, such as the establishment of the grain corridor and prisoner exchanges, through previous rounds of talks in Istanbul.
“We aim to elevate these negotiations progressively, ideally at the leadership level,” Erdogan said. However, after his recent conversations with both Zelensky and Putin, he noted that while both leaders were inclined toward discussions, “they are not yet ready” to meet directly.
Putin, speaking during his bilateral talks with Erdogan on Monday, underscored that Turkey’s mediation efforts will remain valuable in the future.
Earlier, in May, Ukraine had agreed to resume direct negotiations with Moscow after encouragement from the Trump administration, following a halt to talks in 2022. Since then, multiple rounds of discussions have resulted in significant humanitarian exchanges, including prisoner swaps and the return of fallen soldiers’ remains.
While consensus on Ukraine’s security is still being sought, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov clarified on the sidelines of the Tianjin summit that the possibility of elevating the negotiation teams was discussed between Putin and Donald Trump, but no final decision has been made, contrary to some media reports.
On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that although Putin does not rule out the possibility of a direct meeting with Zelensky, such a summit would require thorough preparation at an expert level.
At the same time, Trump told media that a trilateral meeting involving himself, Putin, and Zelensky would eventually take place, though the prospect of a bilateral summit between Russia and Ukraine remains uncertain, as “sometimes people aren’t ready for it.” Trump has been a vocal advocate for direct talks between the two countries since his August summit with Putin in Alaska.
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