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The first direct talks between Ukraine and Russia since the early weeks of Moscow's 2022 invasion began in Istanbul on Friday, as delegations from both nations met under Turkish mediation in an attempt to find a path toward ending Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
The tripartite meeting, chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, commenced at the Presidential Dolmabahce Working Office with representatives from both warring nations sitting across from each other at the negotiating table, according to footage from the event.
The trilateral meeting between Turkish, Russian, and Ukrainian delegations has concluded after approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources. The discussions, hosted by Türkiye at the Presidential Dolmabahce Working Office in Istanbul, brought together high-level representatives from all three countries under the leadership of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday called for a renewed commitment to diplomacy at the Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine trilateral meeting on Russia-Ukraine peace in Istanbul.
“We must seize this opportunity to advance on the path to peace,” Fidan said during his opening speech, addressing delegations from both Russia and Ukraine, as well as Turkish mediators.
In his opening remarks, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized the critical importance of the talks, stating, "We must seize this opportunity to move forward on the path to peace. Each day of delay causes more lives to be lost."
Expressing his satisfaction with the emergence of a new window of opportunity thanks to strong commitments, Fidan noted, "We find it important that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have heeded the calls for peace made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump."
Fidan emphasized that the willingness of Russia and Ukraine to engage in direct talks made this critical stage possible,
"As you can appreciate, at this point, there are two paths ahead. One will lead us toward a peace process, and the other toward further destruction and loss of life. It is up to the parties themselves to decide, of their own volition, which path to choose."
He underlined that from the very beginning, Türkiye has made intense efforts to find ways to end the war, "Our President has also made significant efforts to bring the parties together. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s visit to Ankara was a key step towards initiating negotiations."
Fidan also expressed equal satisfaction in hosting the Russian delegation: "Having both parties represented here in Istanbul demonstrates our strong commitment to ending the war."
Highlighting that this is the first direct contact between the parties since March 2022, Fidan said, "We must seize this opportunity to move forward on the path to peace. Each day we delay results in more loss of life."
As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to claim lives, Fidan stressed the critical importance of implementing a ceasefire as soon as possible. "We also have an opportunity ahead to achieve a ceasefire simultaneously with negotiations. Let me particularly emphasize this: the next phase will be shaped together, based on the choices we make and the steps we take."
He concluded by underlining the significance of these talks as a foundation for a potential leaders’ summit, "We wholeheartedly believe that it is possible to reach peace through constructive negotiations. Let me once again clearly state: Türkiye will always stand by your side in efforts to end the war and establish peace. We are ready to provide all possible support for peace. Once again, I welcome you to Istanbul and wish the parties success in the technical negotiations."
The Russian delegation is being led by Vladimir Medinsky, an advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Russian Armed Forces General Staff Head Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Fomin.
Ukraine's team is headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, accompanied by First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia, Deputy Head of Ukraine's Security Service Oleksandr Poklad, and First Deputy Head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service Oleh Luhovskyi.
Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalin is also participating in the talks, highlighting Türkiye's significant role as mediator in the conflict.
Neither Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy nor Russian President Vladimir Putin are attending the talks, despite initial speculation about a potential high-level summit. Zelenskyy had previously criticized the Russian delegation as "decorative," suggesting Putin was not serious about ending the war.
"We can't be running around the world looking for Putin," Zelenskyy said after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday. "I feel disrespect from Russia. No meeting time, no agenda, no high-level delegation—this is personal disrespect."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Russian delegation in Istanbul is maintaining constant communication with Moscow, stating that "Putin receives all information online and is continuously being reported to."
Peskov emphasized the importance of the peace negotiations, saying, "Naturally, all eyes are now watching how the negotiations in Istanbul develop. We hope that direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations will begin soon. For now, there's nothing to say, let's wait for the talks to start."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been actively involved in diplomatic efforts surrounding the talks. After attending NATO's informal foreign ministers' meeting in Antalya, Rubio traveled to Istanbul, where he met with representatives from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany to discuss Ukraine and Iran.
The American delegation at a separate meeting with Turkish and Ukrainian officials included Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack, and U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg.
A senior Ukrainian official accused Russia of blocking U.S. officials from participating directly in the Istanbul talks. "The Russians are trying to get rid of the Americans by any means necessary," the official told Agence France-Presse (AFP), speculating that "perhaps they do not want a third party to see the negotiation process being disrupted."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized the need for an unconditional cease-fire during the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania. She made an indirect reference to the Istanbul peace talks, stating, "In recent hours, in the face of certain propaganda, we have clearly seen who is really willing to take significant steps toward peace and who is less willing."
"We must insist on an unconditional ceasefire. We must insist on a serious peace agreement that provides security guarantees to Kyiv. We must not throw in the towel," Meloni told Italian media before entering the summit.
The summit, the sixth of its kind, brings together European Union member states and non-EU European countries to discuss the continent's security and shared future in a changing world.
These negotiations mark the first direct diplomatic discussions between Kyiv and Moscow in over three years. The last round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul in March 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion began.
Türkiye has maintained diplomatic relations with both Russia and Ukraine throughout the conflict, positioning itself as a potential mediator. In previous rounds of talks, Ankara helped secure agreements such as the Black Sea grain export deal.
The current talks are taking place amid increasing international pressure for a cease-fire, with Western allies threatening additional sanctions against Russia if progress is not made toward ending the conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
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