Kremlin says Turkey confirmed readiness to host Ukraine talks

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey has confirmed its readiness to provide a platform for possible negotiations aimed at resolving the war in Ukraine, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said.

Speaking to reporters in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan region, Ushakov said Turkish officials had reaffirmed Ankara’s willingness to host talks related to the Ukraine issue. His remarks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin received Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Kazan, where the two sides discussed bilateral relations and regional issues.

Turkey’s mediation role returns to the agenda

Turkey has played a distinctive diplomatic role since the early stages of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. As a NATO member that maintains direct channels with both Moscow and Kyiv, Ankara has repeatedly offered to host talks between the two sides.

Ushakov’s latest remarks brought that role back into focus. According to the Kremlin aide, Turkey remains prepared to provide a venue for negotiations related to a possible settlement of the Ukraine conflict.

The statement suggests that Ankara may again be considered as a diplomatic platform if Moscow and Kyiv move toward renewed talks. Turkey previously hosted several rounds of Russia-Ukraine contacts, including high-profile meetings in Istanbul and Antalya.

For Ankara, the mediation role is part of a broader diplomatic strategy: keeping communication open with Russia while maintaining ties with Ukraine and remaining inside the NATO framework.

Putin-Fidan meeting gives context to the remarks

Ushakov referred to the recent meeting between Putin and Fidan while discussing Turkey’s potential role in Ukraine-related diplomacy.

Fidan was received by Putin in Kazan during his Russia visit. The meeting drew attention because it showed that Turkey’s foreign minister had direct access to the Russian president at a time when the Ukraine war, Black Sea security and regional conflicts remain high on the international agenda.

Although full details of the talks were not publicly disclosed, the meeting is understood to have covered Turkey-Russia relations, the war in Ukraine, Black Sea security and possible diplomatic channels.

Ushakov’s comments after the meeting indicate that Turkey’s offer to host talks was either discussed directly or reaffirmed during the broader diplomatic exchange.

Kremlin says drone attacks do not bring leaders closer

Ushakov also commented on Ukraine’s recent drone attacks against Russian targets, saying such strikes do not bring a possible Putin-Zelenskyy meeting closer.

Ukraine has expanded its long-range drone campaign against Russia in recent months, targeting energy infrastructure, military-industrial facilities, fuel depots and logistics hubs. Moscow has accused Kyiv of escalating the conflict through these attacks.

Ukraine, however, describes many of these long-range strikes as pressure against Russia’s war machine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has used the phrase “long-range sanctions” to describe attacks on Russian infrastructure linked to the war effort.

Ushakov’s remarks show that Moscow is framing Ukrainian drone attacks as an obstacle to leader-level diplomacy. Kyiv, by contrast, argues that Russia must stop attacks on Ukrainian cities and take meaningful steps toward peace.

G7 summit and Ukraine diplomacy

The Kremlin aide also referred to the G7 leaders’ summit, saying the Ukraine issue had been discussed there.

Ushakov claimed that some European countries continue to support the continuation of the war. He also argued that assumptions about the battlefield situation being favorable to Ukraine were incorrect.

These comments reflect Moscow’s broader criticism of Western support for Kyiv. Russia has repeatedly accused Western governments of prolonging the war by providing Ukraine with military, financial and political backing.

Western countries, however, say Russia can end the war by withdrawing its forces and stopping its aggression against Ukraine. The difference between these positions remains one of the biggest obstacles to any serious peace process.

The G7 discussions show that the Ukraine war is not only a battlefield conflict but also a global diplomatic struggle involving the United States, Europe, Russia, Turkey and other international actors.

Moscow awaits contact with Washington

Ushakov said Russia had not yet established contact with the U.S. administration following the G7 summit and was waiting for information from Washington about the results of the meeting.

The statement comes amid renewed speculation about whether the Donald Trump administration could seek a more direct role in pushing for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Ushakov also said U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Trump, were expected to visit Russia, though no date had been finalized.

If such a visit takes place, it could indicate that Moscow is exploring multiple channels for dialogue: Turkey as a possible negotiation platform, the United States as a major geopolitical actor, and other intermediaries that may influence the diplomatic process.

Why Turkey matters in possible Ukraine talks

Turkey’s potential role is important because it occupies a rare diplomatic position. It is a NATO member, supplies Ukraine with defense-related cooperation, maintains economic and diplomatic relations with Kyiv, and at the same time keeps direct dialogue with Moscow.

Turkey also has direct security interests in the Black Sea. The war affects regional shipping, energy routes, food security, maritime stability and the implementation of the Montreux Convention, which governs naval passage through the Turkish Straits.

Because of this geography and political positioning, Turkey is one of the few countries that can speak to both sides without being completely rejected by either.

Ankara has already played roles in previous diplomatic efforts, including talks in Istanbul and the Black Sea grain initiative. That history gives Turkey credibility as a venue, even if it does not guarantee a breakthrough.

Can new negotiations begin soon?

Despite Turkey’s readiness to host talks, the prospects for new Russia-Ukraine negotiations remain uncertain.

A negotiation venue alone is not enough. Both sides would need to agree on the purpose, format and agenda of talks. Major issues such as territorial control, security guarantees, ceasefire conditions, sanctions, prisoners, deported children and international monitoring remain deeply contested.

Ushakov’s statement that Ukrainian drone attacks do not bring a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting closer suggests Moscow is not preparing for immediate leader-level talks.

At the same time, Turkey’s continued willingness to host negotiations keeps one diplomatic door open. If battlefield conditions, international pressure or political calculations change, Ankara could again become a central location for technical or political talks.

Ankara’s diplomatic traffic expected to continue

The Kremlin’s latest comments show that Turkey remains part of the diplomatic map surrounding the Ukraine war.

Fidan’s meeting with Putin underlined Ankara’s ability to communicate directly with Moscow at the highest level. Ushakov’s statement that Turkey is ready to provide a platform for negotiations confirms that Ankara’s mediation role has not disappeared.

Whether this leads to actual talks will depend on military developments, Washington’s position, European policy, Kyiv’s conditions and Moscow’s calculations.

For now, Turkey remains a possible host, but the path to meaningful negotiations remains difficult. The war continues on the battlefield, while diplomatic channels remain open but fragile.

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