Turkey should be included in Russia-Ukraine war talks, Zelensky says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Turkey and European countries must be involved in negotiations and security guarantees to end the war with Russia, during a visit to Ankara on Tuesday.
“Turkey, the UK and the European Union, along with the US, should be included in the talks, as well as in the security guarantees,” Zelensky said during a press briefing with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“The negotiations must be fair, and this can only work if all relevant countries participate in the process. No one should be left behind.”
Zelensky’s visit to Turkey coincided with US talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia on the same day, a meeting that excluded Ukraine and the EU.
Since taking office, US President Donald Trump and his administration, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have indicated that Washington would negotiate with Moscow without EU involvement.
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Washington has also linked continued financial and military assistance to Ukraine with access to Ukrainian raw materials, particularly rare earth elements.
US officials have said that no American troops will be deployed to Ukraine for peacekeeping purposes, suggesting instead that European forces should take on that role.
Diminished role
Although Turkey initially played a key role in hosting Ukraine ceasefire talks in 2022 and later facilitated the grain corridor agreement, Trump’s direct engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin has diminished Ankara’s role as an intermediary.
Erdogan reiterated during a news conference that Ankara fully supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence, calling them “indispensable” conditions for a lasting peace in the region.
'The negotiations must be fair, and this can only work if all relevant countries participate in the process. No one should be left behind'
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Erdogan added that Turkey remains open to hosting negotiations and assisting in efforts to reach an agreement. However, he stopped short of committing Turkey to a peacekeeping mission or security guarantees.
Zelensky noted that he had discussed the issue with Erdogan and that they had jointly decided it would be premature to make any commitments regarding security guarantees at this stage.
The Ukrainian president also expressed frustration over the talks between the US and Russia in Riyadh, stating that he had only learned about the meeting through news reports.
“I don’t know who is attending these talks, and I don’t really care. We are completely transparent in what we do,” he said.
“I decided not to travel to Saudi Arabia [on Wednesday], and I don’t pretend otherwise. I have already spoken with my Saudi counterpart about this. A new date for my visit has been set for 10 March. As for the Americans, we are waiting for them in Kyiv.”
Asked whether it is possible for Kyiv to cede territory to Russia as part of a final peace deal, Zelensky said that Ukraine would never recognise Donbas and other areas as Russian territory.
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