Top Turkish officials met with Ukraine’s lead negotiator in Ankara on Jan. 1 to discuss potential pathways toward ending the conflict with Russia, as diplomatic efforts to halt the nearly four-year-old war intensify.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın hosted Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council in July 2025.
Kalın and Umerov focused on the current security situation in Ukraine and the broader regional and global implications of the ongoing hostilities, according to Turkish security sources.
The high-level meeting reviewed recent developments in negotiation efforts and explored potential initiatives that could be considered given current regional conditions.
A central component of the talks involved the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia and the coordination of future exchange efforts between the warring sides.
The sources said Kalın and Umerov agreed to maintain systematic cooperation through existing channels, though specific details of the talks involving Fidan were not disclosed.
Maintaining ties with both Moscow and Kiev, Ankara has positioned itself as a key mediator throughout the conflict.
Recently, Turkish officials proposed a limited security arrangement aimed at protecting shipping and energy infrastructure, a framework reminiscent of the 2022 grain deal brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations.
Umerov said earlier this week Kiev is preparing for further high-level consultations, including a meeting with European security advisers scheduled for Jan. 3.
The diplomatic push in Ankara follows a high-stakes meeting on Dec. 28 in Florida between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump. While both leaders indicated they are nearing a peace framework, significant disagreements remain regarding the post-war control of occupied territories.
Meanwhile, Russian officials accused Ukraine of a New Year’s drone strike on a hotel and cafe in the Russian-controlled Kherson region, claiming the attack killed at least 24 people, including a child.
Ukraine’s Energy ministry also reported that overnight Russian strikes caused widespread power outages. A "significant number" of households in the Volyn and Odesa regions, as well as parts of Chernihiv north of Kiev, were disconnected from the power grid.
