Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov met separately in Ankara with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın, as diplomatic activity intensifies around efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Fidan met Umerov in the Turkish capital, Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry said in a post on X, without giving details on the content of the talks.
In a separate meeting on Thursday, Kalın and Umerov discussed the security situation in Ukraine, the course of the war and its regional and global implications, according to Turkish security sources.
The talks also covered possible steps toward peace, recent developments in negotiation efforts, and potential initiatives that could be considered in the current regional environment, the sources said.
They discussed the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Russia and ongoing and possible prisoner exchange efforts, adding that the two sides agreed to continue systematic cooperation within existing mechanisms.
Türkiye, which maintains working relations with both Moscow and Kiev, has positioned itself as a key mediator since the war began, as the conflict nears the four-year mark.
Umerov was appointed secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council in July 2025, after serving as defense minister.
