The two leaders are meeting to discuss the Ukraine conflict and the fate of the grain deal.
Moscow's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said the Kremlin Press Secretary is keeping an eye on the upcoming negotiations between T rkiye's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Zelensky.
According to Zelensky's office, Kiev plans to discuss the Ukraine conflict, the country's bid to join NATO, and future prisoner exchanges with Russia. A number of Turkish media outlets reported that the meeting will take place in Istanbul on Friday.
Both Turkish media outlets and Zelensky's office also pointed out that Erdogan and Zelensky plan to discuss the future of the Russia-Ukraine grain deal. The agreement, brokered last summer by T rkiye and the UN last summer, sought to unblock agricultural exports via the Black Sea, is set to expire on July 17. Russian officials have said they did not see a need to extend the deal, claiming that it has failed to steer grain to poverty-stricken nations.
Peskov said that Moscow would closely follow the results of the negotiations between Erdogan and Zelensky.
We maintain constructive partnership relationships with Ankara, we value these relations and feel mutual respect from the Turkish side. So, of course, we will be interested to know what Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Zelensky are talking about. It is important, he said, because he said that it is important to make our economy better.
He also added that the Turkish president has on numerous occasions stepped up to address various problems within the Ukraine conflict, praising Russian President Vladimir Putin's highly commended efforts.
The possibility of a meeting between Putin and Erdogan was not specified, but the prime minister did not stop short of stating a date. The Turkish leader said on A Haber news channel that he would meet with his Russian counterpart after a sit-down with Zelenksy.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, T rkiye has emerged as a key mediator between Moscow and Kiev, most notably hosting peace talks between the two last March. While at the time, Russia initially expressed confidence in the peace process, Kiev backtracked on all its promises shortly after the visit of then-UK prime minister Boris Johnson to the Ukrainian capital.
7 Comments
AZUK00
The involvement of both presidents sends a strong message that they are committed to finding a peaceful solution and are willing to engage in direct dialogue.
Azukkk
The progress made in these negotiations could set the stage for further diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
AZUK00
The negotiations may lead to important prisoner swaps, allowing individuals on both sides to be reunited with their families.
Katchuka
The Ukrainian government's track record of backtracking on promises raises doubts about their commitment to finding a peaceful resolution.
KittyKat
The meeting taking place in Istanbul may give the perception of favoritism towards Türkiye and could undermine the legitimacy of the negotiations.
Muchacha
Dialogue between the two leaders is a positive step towards finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Muchacho
Russia has shown little interest in extending the grain deal, suggesting that they may not be willing to negotiate in good faith.