Zelensky Says He Is Ready to Meet Putin in Türkiye With Erdogan's Help

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Türkiye. He told CNN Türk in an interview published on Nov. 1. He hopes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can help arrange a leaders' summit.

"If Türkiye can make this happen, we would accept it and would only be happy about it," Zelensky said, in remarks translated from Turkish.

Why Zelensky Points to Erdogan

Zelensky called Türkiye a practical and realistic mediator that would not take either side. He said Ankara backs Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Erdogan's relationships with both U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin could help advance the talks, he said.

Several rounds of talks have already been held in Türkiye, he noted. Technical teams have also met in the United Arab Emirates, but the war continues. A leaders' meeting is a must, he said, because technical teams cannot settle some questions.

Black Sea and the Istanbul Meeting

The interview came a day after Zelensky's Oct. 31 meeting with Erdogan in Istanbul. The two agreed to work on a Black Sea grain corridor. Erdogan said attacks on civilian ships are unacceptable, whoever carries them out.

Zelensky said Erdogan is expected to raise the corridor with Russia. He said rules should bar attacks on Turkish-flagged ships at Ukrainian and Russian ports alike.

Ukraine is preparing a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Russia for the first half of November, he said. Washington has proposed Abu Dhabi for technical talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Nov. 1 that "Russia and Ukraine must reach an agreement."

At a leaders' summit, Zelensky wants a full, unconditional ceasefire with monitoring. He says Ukraine will not cede territory, including Crimea.

What the Kremlin Says

Moscow has not responded directly to the Türkiye proposal. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Nov. 1 that Putin has never refused to talk and would answer Zelensky's call. "If he really wants to negotiate, he is free to come" to Moscow, Ushakov said, according to TASS.

Ushakov and spokesman Dmitry Peskov say the first rounds should be trilateral talks with the U.S. Peskov said in September that "piecemeal arrangements" cannot bring peace.