Putin And Turkish Foreign Minister Discuss Efforts To End The Russo-Ukrainian War

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed efforts to end the war in Ukraine and developments since direct negotiations between the warring parties.

Hakan Fidan is on a two-day visit to Moscow. As quoted by Reuters, a source from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Fidan met Putin on Monday and also the head of Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky.

Fidan will meet with his Russian partner Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday, May 27.

Although there has been no agreed schedule or location for future negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Turkey's NATO allies have repeatedly said the country could host the negotiations.

Delegations from Moscow and Kyiv met in Istanbul earlier this month for the first time since March 2022, a month after Russia invaded its neighbor.

No ceasefire was agreed, but both sides agreed to trade 1,000 prisoners of war and delivered, in writing, their requirements for a possible ceasefire.

During the meeting, Putin and Fidan discussed "the initiatives were carried out recently to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, (and) developments after negotiations held in Istanbul," the Turkish source said.

Economic issues and bilateral energy are also discussed, the source added.

Russia previously said key topics of talks would be bilateral relations, but Ukraine would also be discussed.

Ahead of the meeting, Turkish sources said Fidan would reaffirm Ankara's offer to host both sides and continue to play the role of a "facilitator".

Fidan is also expected to travel to Kyiv later this week to meet with Ukrainian officials and follow up on Istanbul talks.

Russian sources said they viewed Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman as potentially suitable places for talks.