U.S. President Donald Trump, berating his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an unprecedented White House blow-up over the weekend, deepened questions on European security among European Union leaders, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Sunday.
Speaking following the London-based crisis talks on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Fidan pointed to the importance of the meeting and underlined that the main discussion focused on Ukraine with leaders negotiating how to achieve peace and a cease-fire.
“In the light of the position the U.S. took in recent weeks and this position getting clearer, different views emerged amid the European Union,” Fidan said.
Highlighting Türkiye’s importance for a possible peace agreement in Ukraine and the rebuilding of a European security structure, Fidan indicated that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan bears a great vision on these topics.
Fidan explained that discussions on how to proceed with certain issues are expected more often after European leaders visit the United States and gain perspective.
“After that, there will be meetings, which we understand will take place more frequently. We will see meetings maybe every two or three weeks instead of every two or six months.”
The London meeting brought together leaders from around continental Europe, including France, Germany, Denmark and Italy as well as Türkiye and representatives of NATO and the European Union.
Ukraine's allies have been underscoring their steadfast commitment to counter growing concerns that Trump is about to sell Kyiv short in negotiations with Russia.
The Trump-Zelenskyy meeting was a dark contrast to the Erdoğan-Zelenskyy meeting, which took place shortly before.
NATO member Türkiye 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 cease-fire since 2024, Ankara has welcomed the U.S. initiative to end the war, which was derailed by a public argument between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States in Washington on Friday.
A Black Sea littoral state like Ukraine and Russia, Türkiye 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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Türkiye 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.
Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also held talks in Ankara. On Saturday, Fidan and Lavrov discussed the latest developments around the Ukrainian-Russian war in a phone call, marking the third contact between them in the past two weeks.
On Thursday, delegations from the U.S. and Russia met in Istanbul for talks aimed at addressing bilateral issues regarding the operations of their respective embassies.
Zelenskyy said last week that he saw Türkiye as an important security guarantor for Ukraine.
