Putin discusses Ukraine war with Erdogan before potential meeting with Zelensky
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Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Aug. 20 to discuss the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin reported.
The call took place amid discussions over a potential venue for a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin. The Kremlin said Putin "noted with satisfaction Turkey's assistance in hosting talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul."
During the conversation, Putin also briefed Erdogan on his Aug. 16 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, their first meeting since Trump took office in January.
Turkey has maintained direct ties with both Kyiv and Moscow since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 and previously hosted negotiations between the two sides in Istanbul.
Erdogan proposed Turkey as a potential venue for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky in July.
Hungary is also being considered as a possible venue for a Zelensky–Putin meeting, Reuters reported on Aug. 19, citing a U.S. administration source. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on the same day that such a summit could take place within two weeks.
Zelensky has repeatedly voiced readiness for direct negotiations and said on Aug. 18 that he is prepared to discuss territorial issues personally with Putin. The Kremlin has claimed openness to dialogue but has so far avoided committing to a direct meeting.
The last time Zelensky and Putin met face-to-face was in Paris in December 2019 during the Normandy Format talks mediated by France and Germany. They have not had direct talks since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
