Putin claims Türkiye relayed new Ukrainian proposals for negotiations

Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed Thursday that Türkiye has conveyed new proposals from Kyiv regarding negotiations amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

“Recently the Turkish side called straight from New York and said there are new proposals (from Ukraine) that they ask to consider for negotiations,” Putin stated at a press conference following the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

Ukraine reject idea of negotiations, says Putin

Putin expressed his willingness to engage in talks but claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea of negotiations the following day. He emphasized that before proceeding with any proposal, Moscow must ascertain whether Ukraine genuinely seeks negotiations.

The Russian president suggested that Ukraine’s reluctance to engage in talks may stem from the implications of such negotiations, particularly the necessity to lift martial law and conduct a presidential election.

Putin also referenced past negotiations in 2022, during which Türkiye provided a platform for dialogue. He noted that a draft peace agreement had been reached at that time.

“We are grateful to the President of Türkiye, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who once provided us with a platform for negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation,” he said.

As of now, neither Turkish nor Ukrainian officials have commented on Putin’s statements.