A New Push for Peace: Turkey Steps Up as Middleman Between Ukraine and Russia
Turkey aims for mediating discussions between Ukraine and Russia, proposing to serve as a potential negotiating platform.
In a bold move, Turkey is ready to mediate a direct peace talk between Ukraine and Russia -- a proposal initially made by Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. The announcement came straight from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's aide, following separate phone conversations with Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron [1].
Turkey is eager to contribute to achieving a ceasefire and lasting peace, forging ahead with hosting negotiations if necessary. This push for peace talks coincides with Ukraine and its key allies' demand for an immediate, no-strings-attached 30-day ceasefire, starting from Monday [2].
Putin's counter-proposal, however, suggests direct negotiations without preconditions between Russia and Ukraine could kick off as early as Thursday in Istanbul, Turkey. Yet he refrained from announcing an immediate ceasefire beforehand [2].
On the heels of Putin's proposal, the Kremlin confirmed the phone conversation, acknowledging a detailed discussion about restarting negotiations. Interestingly, Istanbul was also the venue for the unsuccessful 2022 peace talks between Russia and Ukraine early in the conflict [1].
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded positively to the Kremlin's outreach, viewing it as a positive sign. Nevertheless, he maintained his request for an ongoing ceasefire. Erdogan, too, echoed this sentiment, believing a complete ceasefire would set the stage for peaceful talks [2].
However, European leaders, specifically French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have rejected Putin's initiative. They believe weapons need to fall silent before any talks could begin [2].
Sources:1. Enrichment data from various sources, May 11, 20252. ntv.de, dpa, May 11, 2025
- Turkey's employment of mediation in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia revolves around the employment of peaceful discussions, as per Recep Tayyip Erdogan's announcements.
- The 2022 peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, which took place in Istanbul, set a precedent for future peace negotiations under Turkey's supervision.
- President Emmanuel Macron, in the realm of politics and general news, expressed his views against a ceasefire negotiation without preconditions, echoing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's stance.
- The community policies of various nations, including France and Germany, are now focused on ensuring a ceasefire prior to any war-and-conflicts related negotiations, thus far contradicting Turkey's stance on the issue.
