Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded Turkey’s efforts to mediate in the ongoing war in Ukraine. He made the remarks on Monday during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China.
“I’m confident that Turkey’s special role in these matters will continue to be in demand,” Putin said, emphasizing Ankara’s importance in peace efforts.
The Russian leader highlighted the three rounds of direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv held in Istanbul, noting that they had produced limited progress, particularly on humanitarian issues. These discussions, however, have not led to any breakthrough. Their main outcomes so far have been prisoner exchanges and the return of soldiers’ remains.
The negotiations remain stalled as both sides maintain sharply opposing positions. Kyiv has accused Moscow of deliberately sending lower-level delegates without real authority to negotiate, undermining the process. Meanwhile, Russia continues to insist that Ukraine must accept its claim over four regions it says were annexed — a demand Ukraine has flatly rejected as unacceptable.
Adding to the diplomatic tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump has called for direct talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Moscow, however, has dismissed the suggestion as premature, arguing that fundamental disputes must be resolved before such a meeting can take place.
Since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia’s military campaign has devastated large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine, leaving tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians dead.
