Former U.S. President Donald Trump has offered to take part in direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, set to happen in Istanbul on Thursday. Trump’s statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested holding face-to-face discussions to end the long-running conflict.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed Trump’s idea and said he would attend the talks if Putin agreed to join in person. However, there has been no official response from Moscow regarding Putin’s participation.
Trump Says He Might Fly to Turkey
On Monday, Trump said he was “thinking about actually flying over” to the Turkish city of Istanbul to attend the planned peace talks. This unexpected offer comes at a time when Western countries are pushing for a 30-day ceasefire before any new discussions.
President Zelenskyy reacted quickly, saying, “All of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Turkey. This is the right idea. We can change a lot.”
Trump also publicly invited Zelenskyy to attend the talks. Putin’s suggestion for the meeting came after Ukraine and its allies rejected Russia’s calls for ending sanctions without a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy confirmed he would attend, but only if Putin also shows up. His senior adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, later added that the Ukrainian president would only meet directly with Putin, not with any other Russian officials.
Kremlin Stays Silent on Putin’s Plans
The Kremlin has not said whether President Putin will travel to Turkey for the peace meeting. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, “We are committed to a serious search for ways of a long-term peaceful settlement.”
If Putin and Zelenskyy do meet on Thursday, it would be their first in-person meeting since December 2019. That meeting took place in Paris and was brokered by France and Germany under the “Normandy Format.”
This new effort at diplomacy comes as fighting continues along the front lines. The situation remains tense, and many are skeptical that a meeting alone will lead to peace.
Drone Strikes and Heavy Clashes Continue
As talks are planned, fighting on the ground has not slowed. On Tuesday, Ukraine reported that its air defense systems destroyed all 10 drones launched by Russia overnight. This marked the lowest number of drones used in recent weeks.
The Ukrainian military said there had been 133 clashes with Russian forces between midnight and 10 p.m. on Monday. That same night, a ceasefire proposed by European leaders was supposed to start, but it was ignored on both sides.
Zelenskyy’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskii, said the heaviest fighting remains in the Donetsk region, a key area in eastern Ukraine. He also mentioned activity near Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces had made cross-border attacks months earlier.
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Belgorod Attacks
In response, Russia claimed that Ukraine had launched drone and artillery attacks on its Belgorod region. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Ukrainian forces used 65 drones and fired over 100 rounds in the last 24 hours.
These mutual strikes show how intense the conflict remains, even as leaders talk about peace.
Turkey’s Role as a Neutral Host
Turkey has often acted as a neutral ground for negotiations during the war. In March 2022, early talks between Russia and Ukraine also took place in Istanbul. Those talks led to a temporary grain export deal, but not to a lasting ceasefire.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has kept close ties with both Putin and Zelenskyy. He hopes Turkey can again help push forward peace talks. Turkey’s central location and neutral stance make it a key player in possible future negotiations.
What’s Next?
Whether or not Putin attends the meeting in Istanbul remains a major question. Trump’s surprise involvement adds a new element to the talks. While some experts doubt that his presence would lead to peace, others see any dialogue as a step forward.
The world will be watching Istanbul closely this Thursday to see if a new chapter in this war can begin. Peace remains uncertain, but the renewed interest in talks could signal a small opening.
