Moscow expects Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to formally offer to mediate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine during his meeting on October 13 with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazakhstan, a Kremlin aide has said.
Turkey is likely to raise ideas for peace in Ukraine, and Erdogan will probably propose something officially during talks with Putin, Yury Ushakov told reporters in Moscow on October 12.
"There are reports in the press that the Turkish side is putting forward specific considerations in this regard, I do not exclude that Erdogan will actively touch on this topic during the Astana contact,” Ushakov said.
“So a very interesting and, I hope, useful discussion awaits us."
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
If any talks take place, they most likely will be in either Istanbul or Ankara, he added.
Turkey has stayed neutral throughout the conflict in Ukraine, refraining from joining Western sanctions on Russia and maintaining good relations with both Kyiv and Moscow. It has twice hosted peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, but the last meeting was in March and produced no results.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said he will not hold any talks with Putin. Asked about Zelenskiy’s position, Ushakov said, "I would like to tell him: never say never."
Ahead of his meeting in Astana with Erdogan, Putin said Russia could redirect natural gas supplies intended for the damaged Nord Stream pipelines to the Black Sea.
The Russian-built Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines on the floor of the Baltic Sea were damaged by explosions last month, and an investigation is under way.
Speaking at an energy forum in Moscow, Putin said Russia could move its main route for the supply of fuel to Europe to the Black Sea region, “creating the largest gas hub in Turkey."
Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez, speaking at the same conference, said the idea was new to him but should be discussed.
Turkey has hosted other negotiations with Russia since the start of the war. It was part of a deal struck in July to allow grain shipments from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
Ankara and the United Nations brokered the deal with Moscow and Kyiv that designated three ports for Ukraine to send grain supplies to poorer countries through a Russian blockade.
Turkey also played a key role in one of the largest prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine. Announced on September 21, the deal involved the release of 215 Ukrainian soldiers for dozens of Russian prisoners and a pro-Moscow politician.