Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy touched down in Ankara on Thursday for a critical meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reigniting hopes for diplomatic progress in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The visit comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin floated reviving stalled peace negotiations initially hosted in Istanbul.
Zelenskyy confirmed he’ll attend direct talks only if Putin shows up. 💬 *"I’m waiting to see who will come from Russia,"* he said Wednesday. But the Kremlin dashed those expectations, announcing Putin would skip the Istanbul session, instead sending aide Vladimir Medinsky to lead Russia’s delegation. 🚫
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking at a NATO meeting in Antalya, voiced optimism: *"The talks… will hopefully open a new page."* 🌍 But skepticism lingers—the last in-person talks between Ukraine and Russia collapsed in Istanbul in March 2022 without a ceasefire.
With global eyes on Ankara, the stakes are higher than ever. Will Turkey’s diplomatic bridge-building deliver a breakthrough? Or will déjà vu strike again? 🔄
