Turkish FM Fidan to visit Moscow to revive stalled Ukraine peace talks
Photo: Türkiye's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan (Getty Images)
On Monday, Türkiye's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, will travel to Russia to discuss the situation in Ukraine. This comes after direct talks between the parties held in Istanbul, according to TASS and Bloomberg.
According to TASS, the working visit is scheduled for May 26-27. Fidan is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the trip. He will also talk with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov. Additionally, meetings are planned with Deputy President Vladimir Medinsky and Russia's Minister of Defense, Andrey Belousov.
In Moscow, Fidan will discuss with Russian officials ways to resolve the war in Ukraine. He will also reiterate Ankara's readiness to act as a mediator in peace negotiations. The Turkish Minister is expected to emphasize Türkiye's interest in "achieving a fair and lasting peace in the Russia-Ukraine war."
"At the talks in Moscow, Minister Fidan will declare Türkiye's commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He will express satisfaction with the progress made in this direction, thanks to recent important events. He will again state Türkiye's readiness to act as a mediator in the negotiations, both in 2022 and on May 16 (in Istanbul -ed.)," TASS sources said.
In addition, Fidan and Lavrov are expected to discuss regional issues, including Syria and the Gaza Strip, as well as trade and economic cooperation.
Ukraine-Russia talks
On May 16, Ukraine and Russia held direct talks in Türkiye to discuss the war started by Moscow.
As a result, both sides agreed to a prisoner exchange on a 1,000-for-1,000 format. The exchange has already begun and is taking place in several stages.
They also agreed to share their proposals for a ceasefire. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that these plans are being prepared.
It's also worth noting that after a phone call between Trump and Putin, the Russian leader announced last week that he is ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum to end the war. This document would include a ceasefire. According to the latest reports, Moscow's draft will be sent to Kyiv in the coming days.
For more details on the talks in Istanbul, read RBC-Ukraine's report.
