Türkiye offers to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan declared Türkiye's willingness to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia on Feb. 24, marking the third anniversary of the war’s onset.

"We are ready to provide all kinds of support for the establishment of peace through talks. We are ready to host the talks as we did before," Fidan said at a joint press conference in Ankara with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

The remarks followed an extended meeting between the two diplomats.

"We want both of our neighbors to live in peace, tranquility and prosperity. We want the destruction caused by the war to end as soon as possible," Fidan said. “This war is negatively affecting different geographies... We hope that this multidimensional crisis will now be brought to a permanent solution."

He also underscored Türkiye's support for diplomatic efforts led by the United States, calling them a "result-oriented approach."

“We believe that a solution can be reached through negotiations involving both sides,” he said. “In this context, we are ready to provide all kinds of support to build peace through negotiations. We are ready to host the talks as we have done before.”

Lavrov, for his part, emphasized the continuity of Türkiye-Russia relations "despite geopolitical tensions."

"We will continue our talks with our U.S. partners," he said, adding that Russia’s military operation could halt if negotiations yield a satisfactory outcome.

Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to pursuing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

"The path to a just and lasting peace can only be opened with an equation in which both sides of the war are represented equally and fairly," Erdoğan said in a video address to the fourth Crimean Platform Leaders Summit.

He also reiterated Türkiye's strong support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.

"We all have important responsibilities to mark the anniversary of peace, not war, next year," he said.

After the talks, Erdoğan receieved Lavrov at the Presidential Palace in the capital Ankara, said Turkish Presidency on X.

No further details on the meeting have been provided by the officials yet.

Erdoğan recently hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara on Feb. 18, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to resolving the conflict through dialogue.

The meeting coincided with Washington and Moscow's first official engagement since the new U.S. administration took office last month.

“Given Türkiye’s active diplomatic activities in the past three years, it will be the ideal location for hosting the negotiations that will take place in the coming period,” Erdoğan said at a press conference with Zelensky.

Erdoğan and Zelensky held bilateral talks and then chaired their delegations.

“Türkiye’s approach overlaps with [U.S. President Donald] Trump’s recent calls for a quick and negotiated agreement to end the war,” Erdoğan said.

“As Türkiye, we have become the credible mediator for both sides and got concrete results."