Turkey's pivotal role in the push for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire

• Meeting in Kyiv: Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, is visiting Kyiv, where he will meet with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and other high-ranking officials.
• Russia's proposal: Russia has suggested that the next round of negotiations take place on 2nd June in Istanbul. Ukraine has stipulated that this is dependent on Russia presenting its demands beforehand.
• Turkey's role: Turkey, acting as a mediator, plays a crucial role in the negotiation process, as emphasised by Hakan Fidan.

Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, expressed the belief 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," stated Fidan. His visit to Kyiv is aimed at further talks with Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine has expressed readiness to participate in negotiations in Istanbul, provided that Russia presents its demands. This condition is intended to foster a constructive discussion. The previous meeting of both countries' delegations took place on 16th May, also in Istanbul. Turkey, as a mediator, is striving to facilitate dialogue between the parties. Hakan Fidan emphasises that Turkey is "the ideal actor" in this situation.

Following his 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 right after Fidan's visit to Moscow. On Friday, during his visit to Kyiv, Fidan is set to talk with key Ukrainian officials, which may contribute to progress in the negotiations.