Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin confirmed on Monday (11/24) their readiness to expand bilateral dialogue and work directly in negotiations to reach a possible peace agreement in Ukraine. The call confirmed the Turkish position on diplomatic calls for a ceasefire.
According to the Kremlin statement, Putin and Erdogan discussed expanding trade and energy relations, but devoted a large part of the conversation to the situation in Ukraine, in light of recent proposals put forward by the United States.
Putin stated that the first version of the US plan, when analyzed by Moscow, was “in line” with what was discussed at the Russian-American summit held in Alaska and could “serve as the basis for a final agreement.”
The Kremlin reiterated that Russia remains interested in reaching a “political and diplomatic” solution to the conflict.
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Conditional closure.
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Putin and Erdogan
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Putin shakes hands with Erdogan
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Erdogan wants to resume the Istanbul process
Erdogan stressed that Ankara “will continue its efforts to end the war with a just and lasting peace.” He stated that Türkiye is ready to contribute to any initiative that facilitates direct contact between Moscow and Kiev, citing the history of the Istanbul Process, which was stopped in 2022.
“The conflict must end, and the parties must return to the diplomatic track,” he said.
The Turkish President also stated that the Istanbul platform remains available to host future negotiations and that Ankara is ready to provide logistical and political support.
Different plans
- The US government provided a 28 point plan Which, in effect, recognizes Russian control over Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk, freezes its positions in Kherson and Zaporizhia and demands that Ukraine renounce its membership in NATO.
- The European proposal follows the opposite trend: it never recognizes Russian sovereignty over Ukrainian territory nor imposes a permanent veto on Kiev’s accession to the military alliance.
- Earlier, the Kremlin said that the first version of the US plan “could serve as the basis for an agreement,” but said it had not yet received the updated text prepared in Geneva after consultations between the United States and Ukraine.
- Zelensky said that his team had returned from Switzerland and was awaiting a detailed report before determining the next steps.
The leaders agreed to expand communication channels between Türkiye and Russia “at various levels,” which include diplomatic teams, security advisors, and ministers concerned with the fields of energy, trade, and regional security.
Erdogan also expressed his impressions after his trip to the G20 summit in Johannesburg, where he discussed war and peace plans with other heads of state.