Zelensky Offers Turkey-Hosted Summit With Putin and Trump as Ceasefire Talks Take Shape

In brief

• Zelensky said he is ready for a three-way meeting with Putin and Trump in Turkey, if Ankara can organise it, with a full ceasefire as the main agenda item.
• Technical groups are to meet in Abu Dhabi on energy and maritime ceasefires and a prisoner exchange.
• During his October 31 visit to Istanbul, Zelensky met Erdogan and agreed to keep working on the Black Sea grain corridor.

Leaders' summit proposal

In an interview with CNN Türk given in Istanbul before he left Turkey, Zelensky said he is ready for a three-way meeting with Putin and Trump in Turkey, provided Ankara can organise it (Зеленський готовий зустрітися з Трампом і Путіним у Туреччині: Війна має закінчитися – Українська правда) (Зеленський запропонував Путіну зустрітися в Туреччині: що відповів Ердоган – TSN). He said Turkey could act as a practical mediator that does not take sides, and that his relations with Erdogan, and Erdogan's ties with Trump and Putin, could help. He proposed that the summit's main goal be a complete, unconditional ceasefire with a strong mechanism to monitor it. He stressed that agreeing a ceasefire is only the first step, with control and a roadmap to end the war still to be settled (Не віддамо те, що вони не змогли захопити: Зеленський про територіальні ультиматуми Кремля через США – TSN).

Technical talks in Abu Dhabi

Technical groups are to meet in Abu Dhabi. Zelensky described these talks and the leaders' track as parallel processes. He said the technical teams would discuss an energy ceasefire, a maritime ceasefire and a prisoner exchange, and would also prepare for the leaders' meeting. He argued that some questions must be decided at leader level.

Territory and security guarantees

Zelensky repeated that Ukraine will not recognise territory Russia has failed to seize. He said Russia has recently also asked for security guarantees, but that Ukraine, as the country attacked, is the one that most needs them. He also pointed to Russian ballistic missile strikes on energy infrastructure, which he called critical before the winter months.

Istanbul talks on October 31

Zelensky met Erdogan at the Dolmabahce presidential office on October 31, first one-on-one and then with delegations (Зеленський зустрівся з Ердоганом у Стамбулі – Українська правда) (Зеленський зустрівся з Ердоганом у Стамбулі — перші подробиці – TSN). The sides agreed to keep working on the Black Sea grain corridor (Зеленський: Домовилися з Туреччиною працювати над Чорноморським зерновим коридором – Українська правда). Zelensky also planned to meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during the visit (Zelenskis ieradies Stambulā – plānotas sarunas ar Turcijas prezidentu Erdoganu – DELFI.lv).

Read also

• Zelensky Holds Istanbul Talks with Erdogan on Black Sea Shipping and Diplomacy
• Zelensky heads to Istanbul on October 31 for Erdogan talks on Black Sea security and a possible peace format
• Zelensky says Russia appears serious about Abu Dhabi trilateral talks, with US role key