Turkey to renew offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit
Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan would renew the offer from Ankara to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia during European leaders summit in London, a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters.
Reuters & Duvar English
Turkey's foreign minister will reiterate at March 2 meeting of European leaders in London an offer from Ankara to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, a Turkish diplomatic source said on March 1.
The summit organized by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, along with the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council.
The summit came right after U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had a heated public argument at the White House.
NATO-member Turkey hosted initial talks between the sides months after Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, helping secure a deal for the safe passage of grain exports in the Black Sea. It has said any future peace talks must include both countries.
While repeatedly calling for a ceasefire since 2024, Ankara has welcomed the U.S. initiative to end the war, which was derailed by a public argument in Washington.
On March 2, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will brief European leaders on Turkey's efforts to find a "fair and lasting peace" to the war, the source said, adding he will also affirm Ankara's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Fidan is expected to "underline that Turkey, which hosted direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in March 2022, is ready to take up this role in the coming period", and emphasize that all parties must jointly focus on lasting regional security and stability, as well as economic prosperity, in negotiations, the person added.
A Black Sea littoral state like Ukraine and Russia, Turkey has maintained good ties with both since the start of the war. It has provided Kyiv with military support, while refusing to participate in Western sanctions against Moscow.
Zelenskiy visited Turkey last month, on the same day U.S. and Russian representatives met for talks - without Kyiv's participation - in Riyadh aimed at ending the war.
On Feb. 24, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also held talks in Ankara. On Saturday, Fidan and Lavrov discussed the latest developments around the Ukraine-Russia war in a phone call, the source said, marking the third contact between them in the past two weeks.
On Feb. 27, delegations from the United States and Russia met in Istanbul for talks aimed at addressing bilateral issues regarding the operations of their respective embassies.