ISTANBUL, November 1, 2026 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has signalled renewed diplomatic engagement with Turkey as Kyiv explores options for restarting negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

In a nightly address reported by Reuters on October 30, Zelenskiy said he would travel to Turkey for important discussions. Turkish communications director Burhanettin Duran said a meeting with President Tayyip Erdogan was planned in Istanbul on Saturday, October 31.

Zelenskiy said the discussions were linked to plans to resume negotiations in November and pursue diplomatic formats that have been under consideration for some time. His remarks indicate that Kyiv is seeking to keep several diplomatic channels open despite the continuing conflict.

The Ukrainian president also said he hoped negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States could meet in Abu Dhabi between November 6 and 10. Kyiv wants European countries involved in discussions on a possible settlement, he added.

Turkey has repeatedly offered to facilitate contacts between the parties. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Istanbul has hosted several rounds of talks and has served as a diplomatic venue for discussions on prisoners, maritime security and the export of Ukrainian grain.

Ankara’s geographic position, NATO membership and working relationships with both Kyiv and Moscow have given it a distinctive role in regional diplomacy. However, any mediation effort faces difficult questions about territorial control, security guarantees and the sequencing of a ceasefire.

No agreement or breakthrough should be assumed from the announcement of talks alone. The immediate test will be whether diplomatic contacts produce a mutually accepted framework for negotiations and meaningful steps to reduce violence.

Source: Reuters, October 30, 2026. Featured photograph is an illustrative image of the Turkish flag and is not a photograph of the leaders’ meeting.