Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that he plans to travel to Turkey on Wednesday in an attempt to revive negotiations with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine. According to a Turkish source, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff will also join the planned talks.

“We are preparing to step up negotiations and have developed solutions that we will propose to our partners. We are doing everything possible to bring the end of the war closer — that is Ukraine’s top priority,” Zelenskiy said during a visit to Spain.

The last face‑to‑face talks between Kyiv and Moscow took place in Istanbul in July. Previous rounds of talks in Turkey led to agreements on the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of fallen soldiers. However, no breakthrough has been achieved toward a ceasefire or a broader settlement.

Zelenskiy also confirmed that Ukraine is working to restore prisoner‑of‑war exchanges. Turkey, a NATO member that maintains good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, has played a key role as mediator in peace efforts since 2022.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that no Russian representatives will attend the talks in Turkey on November 19. “No, there will be no Russian representatives in Turkey tomorrow. These contacts are currently taking place without Russian participation,” Peskov told reporters. He added that President Vladimir Putin remains open to discussions with the United States and Turkey about the outcome of the meetings.

Diplomatic efforts have slowed markedly in recent weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump last month imposed sanctions on Russian oil majors Lukoil and Rosneft in response to what he says are Russian obstructions in the peace negotiations.

(reuters, swag)