Politics
Türkiye proposes to host Erdoğan-Trump-Zelenskyy-Putin meeting
Türkiye on Friday proposed to host a meeting between the American, Russian and Ukrainian leaders in an effort to push toward a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.
NATO member Türkiye, which has striven to maintain relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, has become a key mediator amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for a deal to end the over three-year war.
“We sincerely think that it is possible to cap the first and second direct Istanbul talks with a meeting between Mr. (Donald) Trump, Mr. (Vladimir) Putin and Mr. (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy, under the direction of Mr. (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan),” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a joint news conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, in Kyiv.
“We can either close our eyes to the continuation of this war, or reach a durable peace before the end of the year,” Fidan said. “Expectations for a cease-fire and peace have increased.”
“Progress can certainly be made as long as we remain at the negotiating table,” added Fidan, who was to meet with Zelenskyy in Kyiv later in the day.
“We proved that (Russia-Ukraine) talks (in Istanbul) can yield concrete results,” said Fidan, expressing Ankara’s desire to maintain the momentum achieved in Istanbul. Russia proposed to hold the second round of direct negotiations in Istanbul on June 2.
Earlier this week, Fidan held talks with Putin and other senior officials in Moscow.
Russian delegation en route
The Kremlin pushed back against the idea of a face-to-face meeting involving Putin and Zelenskyy.
“President Putin has repeatedly stated that he is fundamentally in favor of high-level contacts,” spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, adding: “But first, results must be achieved through direct negotiations between the two countries.”
The Kremlin also said it was sending its delegation to Istanbul and that it will be “ready” for a second round of talks with Kyiv on Monday, though Kyiv has yet to confirm if it will attend.
Ukraine first wants Russia to share its vision of a road map to peace, a so-called “memorandum” that Moscow said it will only hand over to the Ukrainian delegation in person at the next talks.
Ukraine has for more than two months been calling for Russia to agree to a full, unconditional and immediate 30-day cease-fire, an idea first proposed by Trump.
Putin has repeatedly rejected those calls, despite pressure from Washington and Europe, while the Russian army has intensified its advances in eastern Ukraine.
He has said that a cease-fire is possible as a result of negotiations, but that talks should focus on the “root causes” of the war.
Moscow typically uses that language to refer to a mix of sweeping demands that have at times included limiting Ukraine’s military, banning it from joining NATO, massive territorial concessions and the toppling of Zelenskyy.
Kyiv expects unconditional response
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Kyiv is willing to continue peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, but stressed that Moscow must submit its memorandum with cease-fire proposals in advance, as previously agreed.
“We want to end the war this year and are ready to discuss a cease-fire – whether for 30, 50 or 100 days,” Sybiha said at the press conference with Fidan.
He stressed Kyiv wants Moscow’s memorandum for the next meeting to be productive.
Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine accepted a U.S.-led initiative for a cease-fire and now expects a clear and unconditional response from Moscow.
“The ball is in Russia’s court. They must say ‘yes’ to a cease-fire if they are serious about just, comprehensive and sustainable peace,” he said.
The Ukrainian top diplomat noted that Russia had also promised the document to the American side and must fulfill this commitment for the June 2 Istanbul meeting to be “substantive and objective.”
He also reaffirmed on X that Ukraine is ready to enter a durable cease-fire and pursue diplomacy, urging Russia to accept an unconditional halt to hostilities.
“Ukraine is ready to cease-fire for a durable period of time in order to stop the killing and make diplomacy effective. Russia must agree to a full and unconditional cease-fire as well,” Sybiha said, thanking Türkiye for its role in facilitating peace efforts.
He emphasized that without Russia’s genuine commitment to peace, international pressure must increase. “As long as Moscow continues to reject cease-fire and meaningful peace efforts, the international pressure on it must continue to mount,” he added.
U.S. threat to step back
Kyiv and the West have rejected those calls and cast Russia’s assault as nothing but an imperial-style land grab.
Russia’s invasion in February 2022 triggered the biggest European conflict since World War II.
Tens of thousands have been killed, swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine destroyed, and millions forced to flee their homes.
Trump has been growing increasingly frustrated at both Zelensky and Putin for not having struck a deal yet.
At a U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday, a U.S. diplomat reaffirmed that Washington could pull back from peace efforts.
“If Russia makes the wrong decision to continue this catastrophic war, the United States will have to consider stepping back from our negotiation efforts to end this conflict,” John Kelley told the meeting, which included Russian and Ukrainian envoys.
Despite the sides having held their first peace talks in more than three years, there has been little sign of movement toward a possible compromise agreement.
At negotiations in Istanbul on May 16, Ukraine said Russia threatened to accelerate its ground offensive into new regions and made a host of hardline demands, including that Kyiv cede territory still under its control.
Kyiv wants to first agree to halt the fighting to allow for discussions on a long-term settlement.
Along with its European allies, Ukraine has also been ramping up pressure on Trump to hit Moscow with fresh sanctions, a step he has so far not taken.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that if Russia gives “confirmation that it is not ready to make peace,” Washington must then confirm its “commitment” to impose sanctions on Moscow, stressing it was a “credibility test for the Americans.”
“I spoke 48 hours ago to President Trump, who showed his impatience. The question now is, what do we do? We (Europeans) are ready,” Macron said during a visit to Singapore.
On the battlefield, both sides launched dozens of drones at each other in the latest overnight barrage, and Russia has this week claimed to have captured a string of Ukrainian settlements.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez discussed bilateral relations and global developments during talks in Istanbul on Monday, according to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.
During the meeting, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue to stand by the people of Venezuela and underscored Ankara’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Caracas across a range of sectors, particularly trade, energy and mining.
The leaders also reviewed steps aimed at reaching the two countries’ shared goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to $3 billion, while exchanging views on regional and international developments.
Rodriguez, who is visiting Türkiye at Erdoğan’s invitation, was received with an official ceremony before the leaders moved on to one-on-one and delegation-level meetings.
The talks were attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and Chief Foreign Policy and Security Adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç.
The meeting brought together senior officials from both countries as Türkiye and Venezuela continue efforts to strengthen cooperation and deepen bilateral ties.
Türkiye on Monday welcomed the successful completion of Armenia’s parliamentary election and expressed hope that the post-election period would create conditions conducive to the signing of a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said it was pleased that the election had been conducted peacefully and wished the results to be beneficial for the Armenian people.
The ministry voiced hope that developments following the vote would pave the way for a comprehensive peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a step seen as critical for lasting stability in the South Caucasus.
Türkiye will continue to support regional peace, stability and prosperity on the basis of the shared interests of countries in the region, the statement said.
According to preliminary results, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party secured an outright parliamentary majority, winning 61 of the legislature’s 105 seats with nearly 50% of the vote.
Official election results are expected to be announced on Tuesday.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Monday strongly criticized a newly signed defense agreement between the Greek Cypriot administration and France, warning that the deal ignores the realities on the island and risks fueling tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed by French and Greek Cypriot defense officials was a unilateral move that disregards the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people and the political realities of Cyprus.
“The agreement ignores the current realities of the island, fundamental principles of international law and the delicate balance that must be preserved in the region,” Üstel said in a statement.
He argued that the deal would create a legal framework for a more permanent presence of foreign military personnel on the island and accused the Greek Cypriot administration of pursuing policies that could transform Cyprus into a hub for foreign military deployments.
Üstel also criticized Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, saying his administration had systematically expanded military and strategic partnerships since taking office, a trend he described as harmful to both Cyprus and wider Eastern Mediterranean security.
The TRNC prime minister warned that efforts to increase France’s military footprint in the region could undermine the fragile balance in the Eastern Mediterranean and deepen regional polarization.
He said the agreement comes at a sensitive time when diplomatic efforts are underway to promote dialogue on the island, including contacts led by the U.N. secretary-general’s personal envoy.
Reaffirming the Turkish Cypriot position, Üstel said a lasting settlement, sustainable stability and genuine peace on the island could only be achieved through recognition of the sovereign equality of the two peoples and the equal international status of the two states.
He also stressed that no initiative targeting the legitimate rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people and Türkiye would succeed, while calling on the international community to respect the realities on the island and adhere to international law.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the western city of Izmir issued detention warrants for 78 suspects linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) on Tuesday. The warrants were part of an investigation into the group’s “education network,” authorities said.
The terrorist group orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Türkiye, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded. Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Türkiye has targeted its active members and sleeper cells nonstop, and its influence has been much reduced since 2016. However, the group maintains a vast network, including infiltrators suspected to be still operating within Turkish institutions.
FETÖ backers in army ranks and civil institutions have disguised their loyalty, as operations and investigations have indicated since the 2016 coup attempt. FETÖ is also implicated in a string of cases related to its alleged plots to imprison its critics, money laundering, fraud and forgery.
The terrorist group faces operations almost daily as investigators still try to unravel their massive network of infiltrators everywhere.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will represent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit in Sofia on June 10, where regional leaders are expected to discuss cooperation, security and economic development across the Balkans, Foreign Ministry sources said.
The summit, hosted by Bulgaria under the theme “Strengthening Regional Unity for a Stable, Secure and Sustainable Future: Reflections on 30 Years of Partnership and Progress,” will bring together heads of state and government, foreign ministers from 13 participating countries and the secretary-general of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the operational arm of the SEECP.
A summit declaration is expected to be adopted at the conclusion of the meeting.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye’s support for enhancing regional cooperation based on the principles of regional ownership and inclusivity. He is also expected to emphasize Ankara’s commitment to the SEECP, describing the platform as one of the most important mechanisms for political dialogue in the Balkans.
Fidan is anticipated to underline the strategic significance of the Balkans not only for regional stability but also for the security of a broader geographic area.
He is expected to stress that strengthening good-neighborly relations remains a shared responsibility and highlight Türkiye’s efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation through initiatives such as the Balkan Peace Platform.
The Turkish foreign minister is also expected to call for stronger transportation and energy connectivity across the region, arguing that deeper integration would help unlock the Balkans’ economic and strategic potential while contributing to prosperity and sustainable development.
Fidan is expected to reiterate Türkiye’s support for diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace in the Russia-Ukraine war and emphasize the importance of maintaining dialogue between Iran and the United States and preventing renewed regional tensions.
The SEECP was established in 1996 and remains the only regional cooperation platform that includes all Balkan countries.
Romania is scheduled to assume the bloc’s rotating chairmanship from Bulgaria on July 1.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Monday announced the start of the party’s congress process and urged members to stand united ahead of a parliamentary group meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
Kılıçdaroğlu said the main opposition party would formally launch its congress process with its first Party Assembly meeting on Thursday, June 11.
In a statement shared on social media, the CHP leader emphasized unity within the party, describing its members as a large family brought together by a common purpose despite differing views.
“We are not rivals to one another. We are the sons and daughters of the Republican People’s Party walking shoulder to shoulder,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.
He reiterated the party’s goals of strengthening democracy and justice in Türkiye during the second century of the republic and called on party members to demonstrate solidarity throughout the congress process.
Kılıçdaroğlu also invited CHP members to attend Tuesday’s parliamentary group meeting with a spirit of unity, urging them to remain connected through what he described as common sense and comradeship.
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