Kremlin Signals Istanbul as Possible Venue for Next Russia–Ukraine–US Talks

By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk



Russia has indicated that Istanbul could host the next round of talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States, pointing again to Türkiye as a potential venue for diplomatic contacts over the war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the next round of negotiations could take place in Istanbul, while stressing that no final decision has yet been made on the timing or format of the meeting.

According to Russian officials, discussions are continuing over where and how the next round of contacts should be held. Peskov said Istanbul is among the locations being considered, noting that the city previously hosted negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv during the early phase of the war.

Russian officials also said that the circumstances surrounding earlier diplomatic efforts have changed, an apparent reference to the failed 2022 talks held in Istanbul shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The remarks come a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had conveyed Ankara’s readiness to host a new round of negotiations in a trilateral format involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.

Writing after a phone call with Erdoğan, Zelenskiy said Türkiye was prepared to host the next meeting and that Kyiv welcomed the initiative as a potential step toward advancing diplomatic contacts.

Türkiye has repeatedly positioned itself as a venue for dialogue since the start of the war, maintaining channels with both Kyiv and Moscow while supporting diplomatic initiatives aimed at reducing the fighting.

Earlier in the conflict, Istanbul hosted negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as well as the talks that led to the Black Sea grain export initiative.

Officials from the parties involved have not yet confirmed the timing of any new meeting, and it remains unclear whether a trilateral format including the United States will be adopted for the next round of contacts.