Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on June 2 that Turkey plans to facilitate a meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine in either Ankara or Istanbul. Speaking to reporters on the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed readiness to take part in such talks.

"I had a conversation with President Erdoğan of Turkey. And indeed, he sent a signal, asking how I would feel about a meeting of four leaders: himself, the President of the United States, Putin, and me. I told him that I support a meeting at the level of leaders, because I have the impression that there will be no ceasefire without our meeting," Zelensky said during an online press conference attended by the Kyiv Independent.

The president's comments followed another round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul on June 2, where the sides agreed to a new prisoners of war (POWs) exchange but failed to reach a ceasefire.

The talks, hosted by Turkish officials, follow the first round of negotiations on May 16. The initial meeting ended with an agreement on the largest prisoner exchange of the war, but without any tangible progress toward a peace deal.

In the meantine, U.S. President Donald Trump is also open to an invitation by his Turkish counterpart to hold three-way peace talks in Turkey with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, the White House said on June 2.

"The president has said he's open to it if it comes to that, but he wants both of these leaders and both sides to come to the table together," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters when asked about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's proposal.

Following the June 2 talks, Russia also proposed a temporary two- to three-day ceasefire in specific areas of the front line to allow for the retrieval of fallen soldiers' bodies, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky said on June 2.

Zelensky criticized Russia’s proposal for a 2–3-day local ceasefire to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers, adding that "they (the Russian side) just don’t see a ceasefire as such at the moment."

"As they said regarding a ceasefire, they are ready for a 2–3-day ceasefire to retrieve the dead from the battlefield. I think they’re idiots, because, fundamentally, a ceasefire is meant so that there are no dead."

"You can see their attitude. For them, this is just a brief pause in the war," the president added.

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The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week, urging Ukraine and Russia to resume presidential negotiations. The call comes just days ahead of a planned round of peace talks in Istanbul on 2 June.

While Moscow has proposed the meeting, Kyiv has not confirmed its participation and continues to insist that Russia publish its proposed peace terms in advance.

Erdogan calls for direct presidential talks “without delay“

According to a statement from Erdogan’s office, the Turkish president told Zelenskyy that direct talks between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia would benefit the peace process and should take place “without further delay.”

Zelenskyy confirmed the call on social media, saying they discussed the potential second round of talks in Istanbul and the conditions under which Ukraine would agree to attend.

“We both agree that this meeting cannot and should not be empty,” Zelenskyy wrote.

He added that they also discussed the possibility of a four-party summit involving the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and the United States.

Zelensky presses for transparency before talks

Zelenskyy has previously proposed a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.

Ahead of the first Istanbul meeting, Zelenskyy invited Putin to hold direct talks, but Russia instead sent a delegation led by presidential advisor Vladimir Medinsky.

Zelenskyy said he also reviewed the outcome of that earlier meeting with Erdogan, noting that its only result was a prisoner exchange.

“A ceasefire must be the basis for further progress toward peace,” he wrote.

An uncertain path to Istanbul

Erdogan echoed that view, saying that discussions around a potential ceasefire at the upcoming talks could help lay the groundwork for peace. He also emphasized the need for strong delegations from both sides.

Ukraine has not formally confirmed it will attend the June 2 talks, though officials in Kyiv say they remain open to negotiations in any format.

Ukrainian authorities continue to call on Moscow to publish its negotiating terms ahead of time, a request the Kremlin has so far refused.

President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 30 to discuss the next round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, tentatively scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul.

"We both agree that such a meeting cannot and should not be empty," Zelensky said on social media following the call. "There must be a ceasefire to move further toward peace. The killings must stop."

The phone call comes just days ahead of the proposed meeting, the second such round of direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow since 2022. The first session, held in Istanbul on May 16, ended without an agreement on a ceasefire but led to the largest prisoner exchange of the war.

"The exchange of prisoners was an important achievement of that meeting, but unfortunately, it was the only one," Zelensky said, referring to the first round of talks.

During the call the leaders also discussed the possibility of four-way peace talks that include Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the United States.

Earlier in the day on May 30, Zelensky expressed skepticism that the next round of talks will produce any results due to what he described as Moscow's deliberate inaction.

Zelensky's Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said on May 29 that Kyiv is open to the talks but insists that Russia share their ceasefire memorandum ahead of the meeting.

"For the meeting to be meaningful, it is necessary to understand its agenda and prepare properly for the negotiations. Unfortunately, Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the next possible meeting is fruitless," Zelensky said earlier in the day.

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on May 28 that Ukraine has already shared its own memorandum, which includes a full ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea, to be monitored by international partners, according to the New York Times.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya on May 30 reiterated that Moscow would only consider a ceasefire if Ukraine halts mobilization and stops receiving foreign military aid.

Despite the standoff, in a separate readout of the call, the Turkish Presidential office called on talks to resume "without any further delay."

"Stating that discussing the potential ceasefire in the second round of the talks planned to be held in Istanbul will pave the way for peace," the statement from Erdogan's office read.

Reuters reported that President Vladimir Putin's broader demands include a written pledge from NATO to stop expanding, the lifting of certain sanctions, and recognition of Ukraine's neutral status.

Zelensky doubts June 2 talks will yield results as Russia withholds ceasefire plan

“The Russians have been unable to present the so-called ‘memorandum’ for over a week, which they promised to prepare immediately after the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. “Ukraine has not received any documents from them.”

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy