Erdogan to speak with Trump and Putin on possible meeting in Istanbul

This was reported by the Directorate of Communications of the Republic of Turkey on the social media platform X.

"This week, after holding talks with Putin and Trump, we will try to find out whether we can bring these leaders together in Istanbul," Erdogan said.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he was ready to organize a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Istanbul. According to him, Trump agreed to come if Putin also participates.

Erdogan stressed that Turkey is ready to be a platform for dialogue, and that such a meeting could be a step towards de-escalation of international tensions, in particular in the context of the war against Ukraine. He added that he is in constant contact with both leaders and plans to speak separately with Putin and Trump in the near future to agree on the format of a possible meeting.

At the same time, Ukraine insists on direct negotiations between President Zelenskyy and Russian leader Putin. "Such a meeting can unlock real political progress. Russia must demonstrate willingness," stressed Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov after the third round of talks between the delegations in Istanbul.

• The Russian dictator's spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed doubts  the likelihood of a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy by the end of August.