Zelenskyy, Erdogan urge ceasefire ahead of Istanbul peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire during a phone call on May 30, ahead of the next round of peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, tentatively scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul.

“We both agree that such a meeting cannot and should not be empty. There must be a ceasefire to move further toward peace. The killings must stop,” Zelenskyy said about the upcoming talks following the call, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

In a separate statement, the Turkish Presidential Office echoed this sentiment, urging that talks resume “without any further delay” and underlined the importance of “strong delegations” from both sides to sustain momentum toward peace. Erdogan also proposed that negotiations at the leadership level could follow the upcoming round of talks between delegations, which would help reinforce the peace process.

“Holding talks at leaders’ level following the finalisation of the talks between the delegations will contribute to the peace process,” Erdogan said.

The two leaders also discussed the potential inclusion of the United States in future peace discussions, proposing a four-way format involving Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and the US.

Erdogan reiterated Türkiye’s support for the continuation of the Istanbul peace talks and welcomed the swift implementation of the prisoner exchange agreement reached during the previous round on May 16.

While the first session of direct negotiations since 2022 failed to produce a ceasefire agreement, it resulted in the largest prisoner exchange of the war—an outcome Zelenskyy described as a significant, albeit solitary, success.

"The exchange of prisoners was an important achievement of that meeting, but unfortunately, it was the only one," Zelenskyy said.

Despite their shared call for progress, Zelenskyy expressed caution about the prospects of the upcoming talks, citing Russia’s lack of engagement. 

“Unfortunately, Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the next possible meeting is fruitless,” he said earlier on May 30. 

Kyiv had already submitted its ceasefire memorandum, which includes a full ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea, to be monitored by international partners, according to the New York Times. 

Zelenskyy's Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said on May 29 that Kyiv is open to the talks but insists that Russia share their ceasefire memorandum ahead of the meeting.

By Sabina Mammadli