Zelenskyy holds talks with Erdogan as US signals possible peace plan with Russia – Firstpost

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday and is scheduled to meet US military officials in Kiev on Thursday, as reports emerge that Washington is discussing possible peace terms with Moscow.

according to a reuters The report, quoting a senior Ukrainian official, said Kiev had received “signals” about a set of US proposals aimed at ending the war, which Washington is exploring directly with Russia. The official stressed that Ukraine was not involved in drafting the proposal.

Ukrainian government bond prices rose on Wednesday, their biggest rise in months, on news of possible US-led pressure to restart talks.

There have been no direct talks between Kiev and Moscow since a meeting in Istanbul in July, and Russian forces continue their nearly four-year campaign in Ukraine. 25 people were reportedly killed in the overnight attacks.

While efforts to revive peace discussions appear to be gaining momentum, Moscow has yet to signal any flexibility on its terms for ending the war.

Ukraine’s top priority is to end the war

Zelensky met Erdoğan after a trip to Greece, France and Spain, which went ahead despite a political crisis at home after parliament on Wednesday fired the energy and justice ministers over a corruption scandal.

Zelensky has kept his focus on the war, telling reporters on Tuesday that he was preparing to “reinvigorate the dialogue” and discuss with Erdoğan how to achieve a “just peace” for Ukraine.

“Ukraine’s top priority is to do everything possible to bring the end of the war closer,” reuters Zelensky was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Russian forces currently control about 19% of Ukrainian territory and are advancing with sustained attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure as winter approaches.

Türkiye, a NATO member that has maintained ties with both sides, hosted the first round of peace talks in 2022 in the early weeks of the war. That remained the only such effort until this year, when US President Donald Trump launched a new bid to end the fighting.

The Kremlin said Russian representatives would not participate in the talks, but added that President Vladimir Putin was ready for discussions with the United States and Turkey regarding the outcomes of the meetings.

on tuesday, Axios It was reported that Washington is secretly working on a roadmap to end the war in consultation with Russia.

Asked about the report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday, “There are no novelties yet to tell you about.”

Putin’s terms

Putin has long insisted that Kiev abandon its plans to join the US-led NATO alliance and withdraw its troops from four provinces that Moscow claims are part of Russia. There has been no sign that Moscow is willing to soften these demands, and Ukraine has made clear that it will not accept them.

The US Embassy in the city said a US delegation led by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is in Kiev on a “fact-finding mission”. Army Chief General Randy George is also part of the delegation.

according to reutersBoth Driscoll and George are scheduled to meet with Zelensky on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

A Turkish source indicated that US special envoy Steve Witkoff may also visit Turkey, although there has been no official confirmation of such a visit from US officials.

Another Turkish Foreign Ministry source said Turkish officials plan to meet only with Zelensky, and Witkoff is not expected to attend the Ankara meetings.

with inputs from agencies