Erdogan Pushes for Trump-Putin-Zelensky Realignment Amid Fragile Ceasefire Prospects
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In a fresh twist to the protracted Russia-Ukraine conflict, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is quietly advancing a proposal for a trilateral summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and former US President Donald Trump. The prospective summit&mdash;reportedly floated to be held in Istanbul or Ankara&mdash;aims to break the diplomatic logjam and explore an off-ramp to a war now grinding into its fourth year.
The White House, while maintaining a cautious stance, confirmed that President Trump is open to engaging in such talks, provided both Moscow and Kyiv signal genuine willingness to meet face-to-face. Speaking on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump &ldquo;remains open&rdquo; to the idea of joining a high-level dialogue, but insists on reciprocal commitment from both Putin and Zelensky before taking any formal step forward.
The contours of Erdogan&rsquo;s initiative remain deliberately ambiguous&mdash;an apparent strategy to preserve flexibility amid a complex geopolitical climate. However, sources familiar with ongoing diplomatic backchannels suggest Ankara envisions a summit capable of reframing the narrative of the war, potentially reintroducing Trump into the global diplomatic arena while allowing Turkey to reassert itself as a credible mediator in Eurasian affairs.
While Zelensky has expressed cautious approval of the Turkish overture, underscoring the importance of direct leadership-level engagement, Russia has so far refrained from endorsing the proposal. President Putin remains non-committal, reportedly unconvinced about the viability or sincerity of negotiations under current battlefield conditions.
Speaking after the latest round of discussions in Istanbul, Zelensky remarked that &ldquo;key issues can only be resolved at the leaders&rsquo; level,&rdquo; hinting at a growing Ukrainian impatience with the slow churn of traditional diplomacy.
Despite these signals, hopes for a full-fledged ceasefire remain dim. Kyiv has reiterated its demand for an unconditional cessation of hostilities&mdash;a position met with resistance from Moscow. According to Ukraine&rsquo;s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Kremlin has offered only a narrow operational pause lasting two to three days in selected hotspots, a gesture that Kyiv has dismissed as insufficient and tactically disingenuous.
Russia&rsquo;s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, confirmed that discussions had included the proposal of a limited pause, but downplayed any suggestion that it heralded a broader shift in Russian war aims.
As Erdogan manoeuvres to resurrect Turkey&rsquo;s once-pivotal diplomatic role, the prospective Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit now hangs in a delicate balance&mdash;dependent not just on political will, but on a battlefield still unwilling to yield

US President Trump, Russian President Putin, Ukraine President Zelensky, and Turkey President Erdogan

Turkey proposes trilateral talks to defuse Russia-Ukraine war, Trump open to mediating

Erdogan Eyes Trump-Putin-Zelensky Peace Summit

Turkey proposes trilateral talks to defuse Russia-Ukraine war, Trump open to mediating

June 3, 2025 | 15:06 IST

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