Ukraine has approached Turkey to host a potential meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, as Kyiv looks to revive stalled peace efforts.
Speaking to reporters, Sybiha said Ukraine has reached out to Ankara and several other capitals to explore possible venues for direct talks between the two leaders.
“We asked the Turks about it, and we also approached other partners,” he said, adding that Ukraine is open to any location except Russia or Belarus.
Kyiv has long pushed for a face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin in hopes of accelerating an end to the war, now in its fourth year. Ukraine has ruled out Belarus as a venue, citing its close alliance with Moscow and its role in facilitating Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Sybiha did not disclose Ankara’s response but reiterated Ukraine’s flexibility. “If any capital, other than Moscow or Minsk, is willing to organize such a meeting, we are ready,” he said.
The Kremlin has previously suggested Moscow as a venue, an option Zelenskyy has firmly rejected.
Separately, Sybiha said he has exchanged written messages with Anita Orban, who is set to become Hungary’s foreign minister after the country’s recent election.
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