Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said Ukraine has twice reached out to Moscow through Türkiye for peace proposals, only to back out soon after.
In an interview with the Russian channel Rossiya 1, Putin urged Kyiv to clarify its stance on peace talks.
“Our Turkish partners … have approached us with what they described as initiatives from the Ukrainian side. But each time we agreed, the Ukrainians had already withdrawn their proposal. This has happened twice. Ultimately, we need clarity on their readiness and intentions,” he said.
Putin said Turkish representatives had given him “Ukraine-related materials” on the sidelines of the BRICS economic bloc summit in the city of Kazan, which he said required careful review and that he had not yet had the chance to examine thoroughly.
“Russia never gave up on negotiations with Ukraine, and we are prepared for a reasonable agreement,” Putin said.
He, however, emphasized that any agreement would need to consider and respect Russia’s interests.
Russia started its “special military operation” in Ukraine in February 2022, saying it had to help and protect the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk that have been fighting against Kyiv since 2014.
While several countries, including Türkiye, have acted as intermediaries to facilitate potential peace discussions, these talks have faced significant setbacks, often stalling or breaking down.
Türkiye has been a key player in mediation efforts, including during the initial 2022 negotiations, which resulted in agreements on critical issues such as grain exports.
But despite occasional proposals from both sides, broader peace talks have failed to progress, largely due to incompatible demands and underlying distrust.
Speaking to reporters on his way back from a BRICS summit in Russia’s Kazan, Erdoğan on Friday said he observed expectations from Putin and his delegation on a possible prisoner swap with Ukraine, which Ankara has arranged twice since the war broke out.
“Türkiye will closely monitor steps regarding such an exchange,” he added.
