Istanbul — August 27, 2025
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz has suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could hold a meeting in Istanbul, where three rounds of direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv previously took place.
“Zelensky and Putin could meet in Istanbul — why not?” Yılmaz said in an interview with Habertürk TV, noting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s continued mediation efforts. “He is a leader trusted by both sides. Concrete results were achieved through the [Black Sea] grain initiative and prisoner exchanges. Turkey is always an alternative for resolving the [Ukraine] conflict,” he added.
Erdoğan has repeatedly emphasized Turkey’s readiness to host negotiations at the highest level and to support any steps toward peace.
On August 22, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said no meeting between Putin and Zelensky is currently planned. According to Lavrov, Putin would be ready to meet once a clear agenda is established.
