President Erdogan Wants Turkey To Host Trump-Putin-Zelensky Meeting

President Erdogan. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

JAKARTA - President Recep Tayyip Erdoyan said Turkey wanted to host a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and United States President Donald Trump in Istanbul or Ankara.

President Erdogan said it was in line with the desire to make Istanbul the center of peace diplomacy.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, President Erdoyan praised negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on Monday.

"My biggest desire for both parties is to bring together President (Russia) Vladimir Putin and (Ukraine Volodymyr) Zelensky in Istanbul or Ankara and even bring together (US President) Trump on their side, if they agree," he said, quoted by the Daily Sabah June 3.

President Erdogan further said Turkey would "take steps" to facilitate such gatherings.

He said he would join the leaders at the meeting, so "we can turn Istanbul into a center of peace."

"The role of Istanbul in the Russia-Ukraine negotiations is very important. It is a turning point," said President Erdogan.

"Despite yesterday's incident, the fact that the meeting continued was a big success," he continued.

President Erdogan stressed that Turkey continues to play a major role in peace diplomacy, facilitating meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegates on its territory.

"We are making sincere efforts for peace that both sides won. Turkey's stance has been clear from the start, we don't want war. We don't want to see conflict and oppression in our territory," he concluded.