Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said he will hold important talks in Turkey, as diplomatic efforts continue after more than four and a half years of war with Russia. Speaking in his nightly video address on Friday, he said discussions were linked to the resumption next month of talks aimed at moving towards a resolution of the conflict.

President Tayyip Erdogan's communications director, Burhanettin Duran, said on X that Zelenskiy would meet Erdogan on Saturday in Istanbul. Zelenskiy said all available diplomatic opportunities were being pursued, adding that he expected progress in November towards formats that have been under discussion for a long time.

What is on the table

Zelenskiy said earlier in the week that he hoped a trilateral meeting between peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States would take place in Abu Dhabi between 6 and 10 November. He has also said Kyiv wants Europe to be involved in talks on how to end the war.

No details of the agenda for the Istanbul meeting have been published, and no outcome has been announced. The talks form part of a wider round of diplomacy, with Turkey repeatedly offering to help facilitate discussions between the two sides.

Turkey's role as mediator

Turkey has hosted several meetings between Ukrainian and Russian officials since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Its position as a country with ties to both Kyiv and Moscow has made Istanbul a recurring venue for negotiations, even as fighting has continued.

For now, the significance of the visit lies in its timing: it comes just before the November window Zelenskiy has pointed to for further talks, and it keeps the diplomatic track active alongside the military campaign. Whether it produces a concrete step towards negotiations will only become clear after the meetings take place.