Turkey's FM reportedly to visit Kyiv after discussing Ukraine peace efforts with Putin

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is expected to visit Ukraine later this week after his two-day trip to Moscow, Reuters reported on May 27, citing a Turkish Foreign Ministry source.

Fidan, whose country hosted the first direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in three years, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 26 to discuss recent peace initiatives and the May 16 talks in Istanbul, the news agency wrote.

The negotiations ended without a breakthrough, as Moscow continues to reject Kyiv and the West’s calls for an unconditional ceasefire. The only apparent tangible result of the talks was a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, which concluded on May 25.

During his visit to Moscow, Turkey’s top diplomat also met with Vladimir Medinsky, Putin’s aide who led the Russian delegation in Istanbul, and with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Fidan is then expected to meet Ukrainian officials in Kyiv to discuss the negotiations in Istanbul.

Turkey has acted as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war, hosting earlier unsuccessful peace talks in Istanbul in 2022 and maintaining close contact with Moscow and Kyiv. Reuters reported that the country has also offered to host a potential upcoming session of peace talks.

No venue or date for the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations has been set. Russia has dismissed Ukraine’s suggestion that the Vatican could host the talks, and reportedly instead sees Turkey or some of the Gulf states as more suitable options.

International peace efforts show little progress as Russia continues to push for maximalist demands, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from four partially occupied regions it claims to have annexed.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pledged to broker a swift peace treaty between the two belligerent sides, has increasingly signaled that he may quit the effort unless progress is made soon. Trump has been reluctant to pressure Moscow toward a ceasefire, threatening repeatedly with sanctions but refusing to take the step so far.

Why did Russia invade Ukraine? Debunking Putin’s ‘root causes’ claims

As Russia continues to bombard cities and towns across Ukraine, Russian officials have hardened their position against a ceasefire, continuing to repeat the obscure demand that the war’s “root causes” be addressed before agreeing to any truce. For months, the phrase “root causes” has become a go-to talking point

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta