Putin and the Turkish foreign minister talk about peace efforts in Ukraine, according to a source

During a meeting in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s foreign minister addressed efforts to conclude the war in Ukraine and the latest developments following direct discussions between the conflicting parties, according to a source from the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is currently visiting Moscow for two days, during which he met with Putin on Monday, as well as Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky. Fidan is scheduled to meet with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Tuesday.

Although a timetable or location for future discussions between Russia and Ukraine has not been established, NATO ally Turkey has consistently expressed its willingness to host such talks.

Representatives from Moscow and Kyiv convened in Istanbul earlier this month, marking their first meeting since March 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion of its neighbor. The parties did not reach an agreement on a ceasefire; however, they consented to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war and to provide, in writing, their terms for a potential ceasefire.

During their meeting, Putin and Fidan talked about “the initiatives undertaken recently to conclude the war between Ukraine and Russia, (and) the developments that have occurred following the negotiations held in Istanbul,” according to the Turkish source.

The source also mentioned that bilateral economy and energy issues were discussed.

On Monday, Russia announced that the primary focus of the discussions would be on bilateral relations, although Ukraine would also be a topic of conversation.

Before the meeting, the Turkish source indicated that Fidan would emphasize Ankara’s proposal to host the parties and maintain a “facilitator” role.

Fidan is anticipated to visit Kyiv later this week to engage with Ukrainian officials and continue discussions from the Istanbul talks.

According to Russian sources, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman are seen as potentially suitable venues for discussions.