ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday stressed Türkiye’s "multifaceted" role through diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war as Kyiv prepares for peace talks in Istanbul with a delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

In a statement on X, Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian delegation's visit to Türkiye began with high-level meetings in the capital Ankara.

“We had a very meaningful conversation at the highest level,” he said, referring to his talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"This is a very important signal -- not only politically, but also personally, in terms of our friendship and Türkiye’s multifaceted support for Ukraine."

He stressed that Türkiye received Ukraine’s senior officials “with a delegation of equal standing -- at the highest level,” noting Ankara’s active involvement in efforts to facilitate negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and international actors, including the US.

Despite concerns over the composition of the Russian delegation, which Zelenskyy said lacks decision-making authority, he confirmed that Ukraine would still take part in the Istanbul talks.

“I have decided to send a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul -- though not in full,” he said.

Zelenskyy departed Türkiye after holding high-level talks in the capital Ankara. His delegation will remain in Istanbul until Friday.

He is going to travel to Tirana, the capital of Albania, where the sixth summit of the European Political Community will be held.

"This meeting was scheduled in advance and will bring together more than 40 leaders," he also commented on X, referring to the summit.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, said at a press conference in Istanbul that his team has full authority to discuss all matters necessary for resolving the conflict.

He noted that the delegation was approved by a presidential decree and prepared during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The goal of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is to achieve long-term peace,” Medinsky said, calling for a constructive approach to find common ground.