Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed hope that Türkiye would once again serve as a key mediator between Russia and Ukraine, reaffirming Ankara’s commitment to reviving peace negotiations aimed at ending the war.
“Just as the negotiation table [between Russia and Ukraine] was established in Istanbul, the peace table will also be established in Türkiye in the not-too-distant future, and this bloody war will come to an end,” Erdogan said on Monday, following a Cabinet meeting in Ankara.
His remarks came less than a week after Istanbul hosted the third round of renewed Ukraine-Russia peace talks on July 23, following earlier rounds in May and June.
The meetings, which have remained largely out of the spotlight, involved both official and backchannel diplomacy, with Türkiye reportedly facilitating contacts between senior advisors and security officials from both sides.
Türkiye’s mediation efforts
Ankara previously hosted high-profile negotiations in March 2022, when Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul for direct talks just weeks after the war began. While those talks ultimately stalled, they paved the way for agreements such as the now-defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative, which Türkiye and the United Nations also brokered.
Türkiye has positioned itself as a neutral party throughout the conflict, maintaining relations with both Kiev and Moscow.
Erdogan has repeatedly offered to mediate and has stressed the need for diplomacy over escalation, including in energy, security, and humanitarian corridors.
While details from the latest rounds remain scarce, Turkish officials have described the talks as "constructive," with the goal of laying the groundwork for a broader ceasefire framework.
President Erdogan's renewed push for diplomacy comes amid a prolonged military stalemate in Ukraine and increasing global fatigue over the protracted conflict.
