Erdoğan says Trump will visit Russia-Ukraine talks, but only if Putin shows up too

Türkiye intends to organize a meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin. Donald Trump may join it, according to Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan.

On his return flight from the NATO summit, he spoke about his meeting with Trump. Erdogan told the US president that Ankara intends to organize a meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine in Türkiye to hold peace talks.

"He (Trump) said, 'if Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to Istanbul or Ankara for a solution, then I will also come," Erdoğan says, adding "We will hold the necessary contacts and God willing realise this meeting as soon as possible."

Erdoğan says that Türkiye continues to make intensive efforts to end the war in Ukraine with a just and sustainable peace.

He says that he believes a window of opportunity has opened for a ceasefire and permanent peace, and that it should not be missed. He states that they are committed to laying the groundwork for a lasting peace process by supporting additional concrete steps between the parties. He expresses hope that the war will end as soon as possible, with the support of their allies. As he always says, there will be no losers in a just world.

Long wait

Erdoğan has repeatedly announced Putin's imminent arrival in Türkiye for several years, but he has not come since the war against Ukraine began. Since 2023, Putin has been wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for the abduction of Ukrainian children.

A meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy in Türkiye was possible in May. However, Putin refused to fly to Istanbul or Ankara.