Turkey mediates as Russia, Ukraine eye ceasefire talks

    
• Meeting in Kyiv: Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, is visiting Kyiv, where he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other high-ranking officials.
• Russia's Proposal: Russia has suggested the next round of negotiations take place on June 2 in Istanbul, contingent upon Russia presenting its demands, a condition set by Ukraine.
• Turkey's Role: As a mediator, Turkey plays a crucial role in the negotiation process, according to Hakan Fidan.

Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, expressed confidence that both Russia and Ukraine are striving for a ceasefire. "I observe that the issue is beginning to take a more optimistic turn as negotiations start. Both parties want a ceasefire. No one says they don’t want it," conveyed Fidan. His visit to Kyiv aims for further talks with Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine has expressed readiness to participate in negotiations in Istanbul, provided Russia presents its demands. This step is necessary for a constructive discussion. The previous meeting of the delegations from both countries took place on May 16, also in Istanbul. As a mediator, Turkey aims to facilitate dialogue between the parties, with Hakan Fidan emphasizing that Turkey is the "ideal actor" in this situation.

Following a visit to Russia, where Fidan met with Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov, Turkey continues its mediation efforts. The Kremlin's proposal for another meeting with Ukraine emerged just after Fidan's visit to Moscow. On Friday, during his visit to Kyiv, Fidan is expected to speak with key Ukrainian officials, which may contribute to progress in the negotiations.