Turkish leader aims to host historic Putin-Zelenskyy meeting in Istanbul or Ankara

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emphasised Türkiye's continued diplomatic efforts, outlining the goal of organising a high-level meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, either in Istanbul or Ankara.

A meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations was held in Istanbul on June 2, with President Erdogan calling it a “remarkable” step toward resolving the ongoing conflict between the two nations, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

Speaking after a government meeting, Erdogan provided insights into the progress made during the talks, highlighting that more than one thousand prisoners have been exchanged between Russia and Ukraine.

In addition to the prisoner swap, the discussions have also included significant talks on the repatriation of bodies, with both figures showing substantial numbers. President Erdogan further suggested that US President Donald Trump could be involved in these talks, adding, “This is something I wish most of all for the parties involved.”

Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said Russian negotiators had handed their Ukrainian counterparts a detailed memorandum outlining Moscow's terms for a full ceasefire.

Medinsky, who heads the Russian team, said Moscow had also suggested a "specific ceasefire of two to three days in certain sections of the front" so that the bodies of dead soldiers could be collected.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who headed Kyiv's delegation, said the new exchange would focus on those severely injured in the war and on young people.

Umerov also said that Moscow had handed a draft peace accord to Ukraine and that Kyiv - which has drawn up its own version - would review the Russian document.

Ukraine has proposed holding more talks before the end of June, but believes that only a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin can resolve the many issues of contention, Umerov said.

Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Kyiv's delegation had requested the return of a list of children who it said had been deported to Russia.

By Naila Huseynova