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U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack said President Trump has reached "the end of his patience" with the Ukraine war and sees Türkiye as playing a crucial role in bringing the conflict to a resolution, according to his first interview since taking office.
Speaking to NTV correspondent Deniz Kilislioglu, Barrack emphasized Türkiye's unique diplomatic position with both Russia and Ukraine as essential for peace efforts. "I think Türkiye plays a key role," the ambassador said, describing the ongoing war as "a disaster for all of us."
Barrack indicated the Trump administration is increasingly focused on ending the conflict quickly. "President Trump has reached the end of his patience—you can't say he's a very patient person," he stated.
The ambassador suggested Türkiye could help facilitate high-level negotiations by addressing operational obstacles. "Türkiye can now intervene and remove operational problems so that there can be a summit-level meeting between leaders at the highest level. And I think we can solve this issue for everyone," Barrack said.
The envoy highlighted Türkiye's traditional cooperation with both warring parties as a significant asset in peace negotiations. "Türkiye has traditional cooperation with both Russia and Ukraine. This allows you to establish important dialogue," he explained.
Recent escalations, including major drone attacks that some observers have compared to "Russia's Pearl Harbor," have intensified international focus on potential peace talks, according to Barrack.
While noting he cannot speak directly for President Trump, Barrack emphasized that any meaningful negotiations must produce effective results with security guarantees. Türkiye had previously proposed a four-party meeting format, though Russia has indicated a preference for direct talks between Putin and Trump rather than including Ukrainian President Zelensky.
"Of course, it needs to be a meaningful meeting where the decisions taken in the meeting are effective and security-guaranteed," Barrack said, suggesting Türkiye could help narrow down key issues needed for a logical solution.
The comments represent the clearest indication yet of how the Trump administration views Türkiye's role in resolving the Ukraine conflict, with Ankara positioned as a critical mediator between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv. Barrack's emphasis on Türkiye's established relationships with both sides suggests the administration sees Ankara as uniquely positioned to break through current diplomatic deadlocks.
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