Türkiye pushes for resumption of Ukraine talks in Istanbul

KIEV

Türkiye has engaged in a new round of efforts for the resumption of negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian officials in the Istanbul format as Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan paid a two-day visit to Kiev amid recent military escalation that killed at least five people in Ukraine.

Fidan met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and other high-level officials, including top negotiator Rustem Umerov, in Kiev on July 16. He was in Moscow in mid-June.

Fidan and Sybiha held a joint press conference, expressing their views and assessments on recent developments on the battlefield, peace efforts and the Türkiye-Ukraine bilateral relationship.

“We are of the opinion that the resumption of negotiations between the two sides in the Istanbul format will be beneficial. The uninterrupted continuation of the Istanbul process is important,” Fidan said, recalling that the two sides’ meetings in this format in 2025 provided important outcomes.

“The fact that the conflict is still going on does not mean that these talks will not endure,” he repeated.

Expressing his concerns over the spread of the war to the Black Sea and other regions as both sides target each other’s civilian infrastructure and energy facilities, Fidan reiterated that “the need for ending the war has become an urgent matter.”

“We will continue to exert efforts for peace because someone needs to make this effort,” he added.

Recalling his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last month, Fidan said Moscow is also expressing its readiness for negotiations under certain conditions. “Therefore, what we are working on is how we can break this vicious circle.”

For his part, Sybiha said Kiev is grateful for the efforts and contributions of Türkiye for ceasefire and peace, saying, “We believe that Türkiye’s role should continue in the next period as well. We support the idea that potential meetings with the Russian side can take place in Türkiye.”

Sybiha underlined that Ukraine wants the termination of war through diplomacy but repeated that a potential agreement will not include territorial concessions.

 War should not spread to Black Sea 

Another key issue the two sides discussed was preventing the spread of the war to the Black Sea and taking measures for the protection of maritime safety.

“The security of the Black Sea is of great importance for us and for all the littoral countries,” Fidan said, recalling that Türkiye and the U.N. have long been asking the two warring sides not to target energy infrastructures and avoid disrupting maritime security.

“Even though the war cannot be stopped, a moratorium can be imposed on these two issues. We have a good understanding with Ukraine on this,” Fidan said.

Sybiha, meanwhile, recalled that the security of the Black Sea is an indivisible matter for Ukraine, and this includes the return of Crimea to Ukraine.

“This is of great importance to Ukraine. Russia is continuing to terrorize the Black Sea by targeting our ports and vessels. The international community should give a clear reaction to Russia,” he said.