Erdogan Proposes Istanbul Talks With Russia, Ukraine, UN

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, proposing a trilateral meeting that would include Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations. He suggested Istanbul as a neutral negotiation platform and indicated that Turkey would serve as an observer if both sides consent in principle. This approach mirrors a proposal he floated at the end of April. Erdogan expressed a wish for a rapid peace between Russia and Ukraine and stressed the need to address the war’s damaging fallout while rebuilding trust. The Turkish president’s office noted that progress toward peace would hinge on a swift restoration of peaceful conditions across the affected territories. [Kremlin press service]