U.S.-Ukraine-Turkey meeting starts in Istanbul

Reuters

Delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Türkiye convened Friday at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace to chart a coordinated roadmap for ending the Russia-Ukraine war, focusing on ceasefire frameworks, humanitarian corridors and verification mechanisms.

Delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Türkiye met on Friday at the Dolmabahçe Palace complex in Istanbul as part of a coordinated effort to forge a path toward ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Hosted in the Türkiye presidency’s working offices along the Bosphorus Strait, the talks brought together top diplomats and security officials. The U.S. side was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, flanked by envoy Keith Kellogg and Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack. Ukraine was represented by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, while Türkiye’s delegation included Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Presidential Intelligence Director Ibrahim Kalın.

The meeting follows parallel direct peace negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian envoys in Istanbul—their first face-to-face talks in over three years—spurred by calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for renewed diplomatic engagement. Trump had underscored on Thursday that “nothing’s going to happen” in the peace process unless he meets personally with President Vladimir Putin.

Preliminary agendas for the trilateral session focused on practical steps to support a broader ceasefire framework, secure humanitarian corridors, and establish verification mechanisms. Türkiye emphasized its role as a mediator ready to leverage its unique ties with both Kyiv and Moscow.

While hopes for an immediate breakthrough remain cautious, the gathering signals heightened diplomatic momentum. Türkiye’s strategic position—bridging NATO and non-NATO partners—combined with U.S. backing for Ukraine’s sovereignty, underpins a multilateral push to revive Europe’s most serious conflict since World War II.

The delegations are expected to reconvene over the weekend to refine a joint roadmap, with an eye toward presenting a consolidated proposal to Moscow and Kyiv leadership in the coming weeks.

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