Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he plans to visit Türkiye “to intensify negotiations” aimed at ending the war with Russia and advancing efforts to resume prisoner-of-war exchanges.
In a statement shared on Telegram on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said he will hold “a series of meetings” on Wednesday, without specifying the Turkish city or the counterparts he is scheduled to meet.
“Tomorrow — meetings in Türkiye. We are preparing to intensify negotiations and have developed solutions we will propose to our partners. Bringing the war to an end is Ukraine’s top priority. We are also working to resume exchanges and the return of war prisoners,” he said.
Following his international trip, the Ukrainian leader said he would meet lawmakers from his Servant of the People party and present “several necessary legislative initiatives and fundamental quick decisions that our state needs.”
Separately, US media reported that US Special Envoy Steven Witkoff is also expected to arrive in Türkiye on Wednesday to take part in the talks with Zelenskyy.
Russia will not participate in this week’s talks – Kremlin
Meanwhile, the Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia will not participate in any of this week’s meetings in Türkiye.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “No, there will be no Russian representatives in Türkiye tomorrow. For now, these contacts are taking place without Russian participation.”
Peskov added that President Vladimir Putin remained open to being briefed on the results of the talks through conversations with Türkiye or the US.
Reuters also reported that a source close to Dmitriev noted that he had held “very productive discussions” with US envoy Witkoff during an earlier meeting in the United States on October 24–26.
Türkiye, a NATO member that maintains dialogue with both Kiev and Moscow, has played a key facilitation role since 2022, hosting several rounds of talks — including those that led to the landmark Black Sea grain initiative, which allowed Ukraine to ship grain from three ports blocked by Russia.
Ankara’s latest round of diplomacy comes as Türkiye continues to position itself as a critical mediator between the warring sides, even as the broader negotiating process remains fragile.
