The possibility of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan serving as a mediator in negotiations over the Ukraine conflict has been firmly dismissed by the Kremlin. Dmitry Peskov, the official Kremlin spokesperson, stated unequivocally that Erdogan cannot be a mediator in these discussions.
It is Impossible
According to Lenta when asked if the Turkish leader could play a mediating role, Peskov responded, "No, it is impossible." He added that the topic of resolving the Ukrainian conflict was addressed during a two-hour meeting between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana.
During their conversation, Erdogan assured Putin that Ankara would continue its efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine. Erdogan suggested that the conflict could be resolved first through a ceasefire, followed by peace negotiations. He expressed confidence that a fair peace, satisfying both sides, is achievable.
In June, Putin proposed a peace plan for Ukraine, outlining two conditions for a ceasefire. These included the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics. Additionally, Ukraine would need to formally renounce its aspirations to join NATO.
Turkey's Ongoing Mediation Efforts
Turkey has offered its territory as a venue for renewed negotiations. In May, a source from the RIA Novosti agency reported that Turkish authorities have consistently raised the issue of resuming the Istanbul format talks on Ukraine. However, no concrete responses have been received from the involved parties.
"The issue is constantly raised by us at the highest level. President Erdogan closely monitors this matter. But so far, there has been no specific response from the parties [to Turkey's proposal]," the source revealed.
On March 8, Erdogan reiterated Turkey's readiness to host peace negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine. He expressed regret that the Istanbul peace initiative had not led to an end to the conflict and emphasized that negotiations were the only viable path to resolution. Erdogan also noted that unilateral peace initiatives without Russia's participation had little chance of success.
International Perspectives on Mediation
On June 2, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky consider a ceasefire to initiate talks with Moscow. This proposal was rejected by Kyiv. Igor Zhovkva, the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, stated that Ukraine aims to resolve the conflict through the so-called peace summits organized by Kyiv.
Later, Zelensky indicated that Putin might be invited to the next "peace summit," although he did not anticipate the Russian president's participation in potential negotiations "in the near future." Zelensky also spoke about a "just end" to the Ukrainian conflict, suggesting that it would require joint efforts from the United States and China, urging their leadership to set aside differences.
