By Beril Canakci
ISTANBUL (AA) - Following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Türkiye would be willing to host Russian and Ukrainian leaders for talks when they are ready, according to a statement from the Turkish Communications Directorate.
Erdogan stressed that the current stage of the war calls for a resolution through direct negotiations and highlighted the urgent need to reach a common ground to prevent further loss of life.
He described the moment as a historic opportunity to launch peace talks and reaffirmed Türkiye’s strong support for dialogue at both the technical and leadership levels.
Earlier, Zelenskyy arrived in Türkiye's capital Ankara for a meeting with Erdogan ahead of expected Russia-Ukraine peace talks.
“Out of respect for President Trump and Erdogan, I have decided to send our delegation to Istanbul now … The delegation will be headed by the minister of defense,” Zelenskyy told journalists in Ankara after the meeting.
The bilateral meeting and the inter-delegation working lunch, held behind closed doors at the Presidential Complex, lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes.
The closed-door meeting was also attended by Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, National Intelligence Organization head Ibrahim Kalin, and Akif Cagatay Kilic, chief presidential advisor on foreign policy and security.