Ukraine Pushes for Zelenskyy–Putin Summit, Taps Turkey to Break Deadlock

Ukraine has asked Turkey to help organize a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled.

According to Bloomberg on April 22, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that Kyiv had approached Ankara directly with the request.

“We have approached the Turkish side directly,” Sybiha said, adding that Ukraine would also accept another host country “other than Moscow and Belarus” if it could facilitate the meeting.

He stated that Kyiv aims to hold the talks as soon as possible “to give a new impetus to the diplomatic process between Zelenskyy and Putin.”

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War in Ukraine

When Peace Talks Begin, Russia Bombs—A Pattern Timeline

Jan 20, 2026 14:15

Bloomberg reports that Ukraine continues to signal readiness for high-level negotiations despite limited progress in ongoing diplomatic channels. At the same time, Putin has previously ruled out a meeting with Zelenskyy unless a broader agreement to end the war is reached.

Sybiha also said Ukraine currently sees itself in a stronger battlefield position compared to the past year, citing advances in drone warfare that have helped offset Russia’s numerical advantage.

Ukrainian forces have recently stabilized the front line and, in some areas, regained more territory than Russian troops. Ukrainian officials claim that drone-based defenses are disrupting the majority of Russian assault operations before they reach frontline positions.

President Zelenskyy previously stated that Ukrainian forces captured an enemy position for the first time using only unmanned systems.

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Category

War in Ukraine

Russia's History of Ceasefire Violations and What It Can Tell Us About Today

Mar 20, 2025 16:31

Turkey has previously played a mediating role between Kyiv and Moscow. According to Bloomberg, negotiations between the two sides were held in Turkey during the early months of the full-scale invasion, and Ankara, together with the United Nations, facilitated the Black Sea grain export agreement.

In May 2025, delegations from Ukraine and Russia met again in Istanbul for discussions on a potential ceasefire.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine was ready to extend a potential Easter ceasefire beyond the holiday if Russia halted attacks across all domains. He emphasized that any pause would be observed only on a reciprocal basis and said the proposal had already been communicated to Moscow.

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