Erdogan: Trump Will Join Ukraine Peace Talks in Turkey If Putin Attends
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that U.S. President Donald Trump is willing to attend peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey — but only if Russian President Vladimir Putin also agrees to participate, The Gaze reports, referencing Reuters.
Speaking to reporters on his flight back from the NATO summit, where he met Trump for the first time since the latter returned to office, Erdogan said he informed the U.S. leader about Ankara’s intention to host talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
“He (Trump) said, ‘if Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to Istanbul or Ankara for a solution, then I will also come,’” Erdogan’s office quoted him as saying on Thursday.
Erdogan emphasized Turkey’s commitment to facilitating negotiations between the warring parties and expressed hope that a high-level meeting could materialize soon.
“We will hold the necessary contacts and God willing realise this meeting as soon as possible,” he added.
Turkey has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the war since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, maintaining diplomatic relations with both Kyiv and Moscow.
Read more on The Gaze: Can Türkiye bring peace or ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine?