Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he planned to visit Türkiye on Wednesday, in a bid to reinvigorate negotiations with Russia.
"Tomorrow, I will hold meetings in Türkiye. We are preparing to reinvigorate negotiations and we have developed solutions that we will propose to our partners. Doing everything possible to bring the end of the war closer is Ukraine’s top priority. We are also working to restore POW exchanges and bring our prisoners of war home," he said in a Twitter post on Tuesday. U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East and Peace Missions Steve Witkoff will also be in Türkiye and join Zelenskyy on Wednesday, a Turkish source speaking to Reuters said.
Last week, Ukraine announced that a prisoner exchange with Russia may resume, with mediation by Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Zelenskyy and his Security Council chief said earlier that they were hoping for the release of 1,200 Ukrainians.
Ukraine and Russia reached a prisoner exchange understanding in talks brokered by Türkiye in 2022. The Istanbul agreements, as they are called informally, set out rules for large, coordinated swaps between Russia and Ukraine. Since then, the two have traded thousands of prisoners, though exchanges have been sporadic and often disrupted by front-line escalation in the war Russia launched against Ukraine in February 2022.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that the Russia-Ukraine war has reached "its closest point to stopping," stressing that the conflict has turned into a costly war of attrition for all involved.
In an interview with Turkish broadcaster A Haber on Saturday, Fidan said European leaders also want the conflict to end. The conflict has reached "its darkest moment," with both sides focused on destroying each other's transportation and energy infrastructure.
"They continue hitting conventional military targets, but that front is deadlocked. The war has effectively shifted into a drone battle," he added.
Pointing out that the situation has become increasingly exhausting for both Moscow and Kyiv, he said that conditions for a cease-fire are in place and that diplomatic efforts are ongoing.
Fidan underlined that the conflict must end. "It has turned into a war of attrition. Neither side is actually gaining much. On the contrary, both have inflicted enormous destruction on one another," said Fidan.
He noted that while Europe is not directly involved with troops, it is deeply engaged through financial and military support and "the cost is mounting."
Fidan added that imposing a blockade on Russia, by stopping energy purchases and halting trade, ultimately deprives Europe of what a major power like Russia provides.
"This comes with a cost. And that cost is producing political consequences for governments," he said.
Regarding prospects for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, he said Türkiye "believes a peace table will be formed ... whether in Türkiye or elsewhere. That peace is not only necessary but inevitable."
Zelenskyy will meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in Ankara on Wednesday, where his "main goal is for the Americans to reengage" in peace efforts, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP. Kyiv is hoping Washington will be able to push Russia to the negotiating table, including by imposing sanctions, the official said.
The Kremlin said that no Russian official will be present at talks in Türkiye on Wednesday, adding that it remains open to talks to resolve the war in Ukraine.
American lawmakers are working on a bill to strengthen sanctions against Russia by potentially imposing tariffs on all countries buying its oil and gas. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the legislation was "okay with me." Trump sought to leverage his personal chemistry with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the Ukrainian conflict, but has so far failed to make progress. In a sign of growing frustration with Putin, Trump slapped Moscow's two biggest oil companies with sanctions. "The Americans are now discussing a new wave of pressure, so it is logical to negotiate about diplomacy," the Ukrainian official added.
Zelenskyy is currently on a European tour to garner support for his army and Ukraine's energy infrastructure. He was scheduled to meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday. A day earlier, the Ukrainian leader signed an accord with France for Kyiv to acquire up to 100 Rafale fighter jets and other hardware, including drones. Moscow slammed the agreement as "fueling militaristic and prowar sentiment" and said it won't change the situation on the ground.
