Zelenskyy in turkey for High-stakes Talks to End Russia’s War
ANKARA, Turkey – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday for meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan aimed at securing a just and lasting peace to end Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The visit comes as fighting continues in eastern Ukraine, including recent drone strikes in Dnipro that injured two people and damaged six residential buildings, as well as the offices of Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne.
Zelenskyy’s trip underscores Turkey’s role as a key mediator in the conflict, having previously hosted peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations. While a breakthrough is not guaranteed, the discussions are critical as Ukraine seeks international support to end the war on terms that respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The conflict, now entering its third year, has displaced millions and caused widespread destruction, with significant implications for global security and energy markets.
Turkey has maintained a delicate balancing act throughout the war, providing Ukraine with military aid while also seeking to maintain economic ties with Russia.President Erdoğan has repeatedly offered to host further negotiations and has emphasized the importance of a ceasefire.
The visit also comes amid growing domestic political pressure for Zelenskyy, who is facing scrutiny over a $100 million embezzlement and kickback scandal involving top officials and Ukraine’s state nuclear power company. The scandal led to the resignations of two members of his cabinet last week. Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has demanded the dismissal of the entire Ukrainian government, staging a protest in the Verkhovna rada, ukraine’s Parliament, halting the parliamentary session. Zelenskyy has pledged to address corruption,but has faced previous graft scandals that have fueled public outrage. He is scheduled to meet with senior officials and parliamentary leaders on Thursday to discuss the matter.
Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser, Suman Naishadham and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
