Istanbul: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan declared that the ultimate aim of the Russia-Ukraine peace talks is to achieve a ceasefire, which will lay the groundwork for lasting peace. Speaking at the Trkiye-Russia-Ukraine trilateral meeting held in Istanbul during the third round of negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, Fidan emphasized Trkiye's commitment as a facilitator in the ongoing discussions.
According to Anadolu Agency, Fidan expressed the necessity of ending the ongoing conflict promptly and extended his gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for their willingness to engage in dialogue. He also acknowledged the support from US President Donald Trump and other leaders contributing to the peace process, either directly or indirectly.
Fidan highlighted the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in fostering peace in a region long affected by conflict. He noted that Trkiye has been actively involved since the conflict's outset, aiming to bring about peace between Russia and Ukraine. Reflecting on the significant outcomes from the first two rounds of talks, Fidan mentioned the positive reception of prisoner exchanges by the international community due to their humanitarian benefits.
He pointed out that the exchange of memorandums between the conflicting parties during the second round was a crucial development towards achieving a ceasefire and peace. Fidan expressed optimism that the current round of talks would see substantive and result-oriented discussions based on these memorandums. He reaffirmed Ankara's readiness to support the process further if the parties reach an agreement, citing Trkiye's established monitoring mechanisms and capabilities for organizing prisoner exchanges.
Fidan's remarks underscored the importance of diplomacy over conflict, stating that the Istanbul talks provide an opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of dialogue in achieving peace. The previous two rounds of talks, held in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2, resulted in agreements to exchange prisoners of war and return the bodies of thousands of soldiers from both sides. Additionally, Moscow and Kyiv exchanged memorandums detailing their respective visions for ending the conflict, which began in February 2022.
Following the meeting, Vladimir Medinsky, leading the Russian delegation, proposed forming three online working groups focusing on political, humanitarian, and military issues. Moscow also suggested broadening the scope of exchanges to include civilians, such as those captured by Ukraine in Russia's Kursk region last year.