Türkiye’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalın, met with Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council secretary Rustem Umerov in Ankara on Thursday.
Kalın and Umerov, who is also his country's top negotiator with the West to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, discussed the war, regional stability and prospects for renewed diplomatic engagement, according to an official statement.
During the meeting, Kalın and Umerov reviewed the security situation across Ukraine and assessed the broader consequences of continued fighting between Russia and Ukraine.
The discussion focused on what the statement described as the “regional and global impacts” of the conflict as tensions persist on the battlefield and in diplomatic channels.
Both sides examined potential steps toward establishing peace, including the current status of negotiation efforts, possible diplomatic avenues, and measures that could be taken within the existing regional environment.
They also assessed where talks stand and what could be done to support forward movement toward de-escalation.
Another key topic was the fate of Ukrainian prisoners of war. The duo discussed “the release of Ukrainian prisoners held in Russia and the issue of prisoner exchanges,” signaling that Ankara remains engaged in sensitive humanitarian and negotiation processes.
Türkiye has previously facilitated mediation efforts between the two countries, hosting high-level talks earlier in the conflict.
The statement added that both officials agreed to maintain cooperation mechanisms already in place and to continue “systematic work” between the two countries under current collaboration formats.
The wording suggests an intention to preserve dialogue channels despite the lack of a formal cease-fire or final framework for peace.
The meeting comes after Umerov met the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan earlier in the day.
As it enjoys good diplomatic ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, Türkiye has been one of the major international players seeking a halt to the conflict, which is nearing the four-year mark.
