Turkey's FM Fidan reveals why he went to Moscow and what he brought for Zelenskyy
Photo: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The head of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, traveled to Moscow to convey thoughts and assessments regarding the resolution of Russia’s war against Ukraine. For the same purpose, he arrived in Kyiv, reveals Fidan at a press conference with Ukraine’s counterpart Andrii Sybiha.
“By order of our president, we are conducting shuttle diplomacy. First, in Moscow, we listened to the Russian side and conveyed our thoughts and assessments. As you know, Russia expressed its readiness to continue negotiations on June 2. And today in Kyiv, we are exchanging views with our Ukrainian friends,” Fidan said.
The Turkish Foreign Minister noted that he has already discussed recent events with his colleague Andrii Sybiha. Fidan also has a planned meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“As I mentioned at the beginning, today I will also be received by the honorable president, and I will deliver to him a message from our president Erdogan,” he stated.
The minister emphasized that Türkiye fully supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and independence. According to him, Türkiye does not care where exactly the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia take place, but the country is interested in achieving the end of the war as quickly as possible.
“And we believe that holding a second round of negotiations is realistic. And I note Türkiye's readiness to host these negotiations in our country,” the minister added.
Recall that the day before, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Moscow. There, he met with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the head of the Russian delegation for negotiations with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky.
Ukraine-Russia negotiations
On May 16, negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul. These were the first direct talks between the parties in three years.
Türkiye acted as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia. According to media reports, Turkish representatives proposed a large prisoner exchange to the parties when the negotiations had reached a deadlock.
Russia stated it proposed to Ukraine to hold a second round of talks on June 2, also in Istanbul. Moscow notes that it will then present a so-called "memorandum" with its vision for a ceasefire.
Ukraine has already submitted its proposals to Russia and demands that Moscow also provide its memorandum without waiting until June 2.
