Zelensky held talks with Erdogan, US sends military delegation to Kiev

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and plans to hold talks with U.S. military officials in Kiev, while the U.S. is reportedly communicating behind the scenes with Moscow about a possible end to the war.

The information about the secret talks triggered a sharp rise in Ukrainian government bond prices. Despite the political crisis and the dismissal of two ministers, Zelensky insists that ending the war is a priority.

Turkey, which maintains contacts with both sides, is again playing a diplomatic role. Although Moscow is not planning to participate in the talks, Putin remains open to talks with the US and Turkey, according to the Kremlin.

Russia's conditions remain unchanged: rejection of Ukraine's NATO membership and withdrawal from occupied territories. A US military delegation is currently visiting Kiev as part of a reconnaissance mission. Although peace efforts are reviving, there has been no major breakthrough so far.

While Ukraine hopes to resume prisoner-of-war exchanges with Russia by the end of the year, it is also counting on Turkey's diplomatic efforts to help end the war. "Of course, we talked about the diplomatic situation. Now many processes have become more active and we are trying to ensure that all activities are directed specifically towards peace," Zelensky said.

(reuters, mja)