ANKARA, August 16 — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has hailed the Alaska summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as a constructive step, stressing that Ankara is prepared to play its part in building a sustainable peace in Ukraine.
“The talks in Alaska have given new momentum to efforts to end the Russia–Ukraine war,” Erdoğan wrote on platform X.
“We welcome the Alaska Summit and hope that, with the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, this new process will lay the foundation for lasting peace. Turkey stands ready to contribute in every way to the establishment of peace.”
ABD Başkanı Sayın Trump ile Rusya Federasyonu Devlet Başkanı Sayın Putin arasında Alaska’da gerçekleştirilen görüşmeler Rusya-Ukrayna savaşının sonlandırılması arayışlarına yeni bir ivme kazandırmıştır.
Alaska Zirvesi’ni memnuniyetle karşılıyor, bu yeni sürecin Ukrayna Devlet…
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) August 16, 2025
Turkey’s Mediator Role
Since the outbreak of the war in 2022, Turkey has positioned itself as one of the few countries capable of engaging both Moscow and Kyiv. Ankara brokered the landmark 2022 Black Sea Grain Deal, allowing millions of tons of Ukrainian agricultural exports to reach world markets despite the naval blockade. Turkish diplomats have also hosted direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators, though those efforts stalled amid continued fighting.
Erdoğan has consistently argued that Turkey, as both a NATO member and a Black Sea power with deep ties to Russia, has a unique role to play as a bridge in peace efforts. His latest statement underscores Ankara’s ambition to once again become central to a possible diplomatic track.
Allies Watching Closely
The Alaska summit — the first high-level face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin since the U.S. election — has stirred unease in some Western capitals. Critics argue that the choice of Alaska, a territory once sold by the Russian Empire to the United States, risked giving Moscow symbolic gains. Yet Trump framed the encounter as a bold step toward dialogue and floated the idea of a trilateral summit with Ukraine.
For Erdoğan, the meeting signals an opening that Ankara intends to seize. Turkey’s message is clear: while Washington and Moscow weigh their next moves, Ankara wants to ensure it is at the table when discussions turn toward a postwar settlement.
What Comes Next
Analysts note that Erdoğan’s remarks are as much about Turkey’s strategic positioning as they are about Ukraine. With the EU talks stagnant and tensions lingering with Washington over defense issues, Ankara seeks to reinforce its status as an indispensable regional player.
Whether the Alaska momentum can be translated into concrete negotiations remains to be seen. But Erdoğan has left little doubt that Turkey intends to remain a visible and active actor in shaping what could become the next phase of peace diplomacy.
