Ukraine's Zelensky plans Turkey visit to try to revive peace talks

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures on the day he meets President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain Francina Armengol and President of the Senate of Spain Pedro Rollan, during a visit to Spain's Parliament in Madrid, Spain, Nov 18, 2025. REUTERS

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he planned to go to Turkey on Wednesday in an attempt to revive talks with Russia on how to end the war in Ukraine.

A Turkish source said that US special envoy Steve Witkoff would also visit Turkey on Wednesday and join the planned talks there with Zelensky.

"We are preparing to reinvigorate negotiations, and we have developed solutions that we will propose to our partners. Doing everything possible to bring the end of the war closer is Ukraine's top priority," Zelensky, who was visiting Spain on Tuesday, said about the meetings in Turkey.

No face-to-face talks have taken place between Kyiv and Moscow since they met in Istanbul in July.

Ukraine and Russia have held several rounds of talks in Istanbul that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers.

But the two sides have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end the war that is approaching its four year mark.

Zelensky said Kyiv was also working to restore exchanges of prisoners of war.