ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday called for a renewed commitment to diplomacy at the Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine trilateral meeting on Russia-Ukraine peace in Istanbul.

"We must seize this opportunity to advance on the path to peace. Every day of delay causes more losses of life," Fidan said during his opening speech, addressing delegations from both Russia and Ukraine, as well as Turkish mediators.

"We are pleased to see that strong commitments have opened a new window of opportunity before us. This meeting marks the first direct high-level contact between the parties since March 2022," Fidan added.

The negotiations are taking place in the Dolmabahce Presidential Office in Istanbul, with delegations from both countries in attendance following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent visit to Ankara.

Ankara’s 'strong will to end the war'

Fidan also emphasized Türkiye’s central role in facilitating dialogue and urged both sides to seize what he called a historic opportunity.

"We find it very important that Mr. (President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan and Mr. (President Donald) Trump’s calls for peace have been heeded by Mr. (President Vladimir) Putin and Mr. (President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy."

"As you will appreciate, we have now reached a point where there are two paths. One of these paths will lead us to peace with the start of a new process. The other will lead to more destruction and losses of life."

He noted that Türkiye has worked intensively since the beginning of the conflict to bring the warring parties to the negotiating table. Hosting both Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul, he said, reflects Ankara’s "strong will to end the war."

With civilian casualties continuing to mount, Fidan stressed the urgency of achieving an immediate ceasefire: "While the war continues to claim lives, it is critically important to implement a ceasefire as soon as possible."

He also called for a constructive approach that could pave the way for a future summit between the leaders. "The next phase will be determined collectively through the choices we make and the steps we take," he added.

"We sincerely believe that it is possible to achieve peace through constructive negotiation."

Concluding his remarks, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s readiness to contribute to the peace process, saying Türkiye will always support the "efforts to end the war and establish peace."

"We are ready to offer any kind of contribution possible toward peace," he stressed.