Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara, Türkiye, Nov. 19, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday emphasized Türkiye's commitment to advancing diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, during talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara.

"It would be beneficial for the Istanbul process to be reactivated with a comprehensive framework that can address the now-acute problems," Erdogan said during their joint press conference, calling for renewed international support for the initiative.

He reaffirmed that Türkiye is ready to discuss with Russia "any proposals that could accelerate a ceasefire and pave the way for a just and lasting peace," urging all partners seeking to stop the bloodshed to adopt a constructive approach to reviving the process.

Russia and Ukraine held a third round of peace talks in Istanbul on July 23, 2025, agreeing to a prisoner exchange but making no progress toward ending the ongoing conflict.

Zelensky, for his part, said Ukraine hopes to restart prisoner exchanges by the end of the year.

"Türkiye is providing strong support on this issue," he said, adding that Kiev trusts "the strength of Turkish diplomacy and its ability to be understood in Moscow."

He thanked Erdogan for Türkiye's stance throughout the conflict.

"Türkiye's principled position on the war with Russia is very important for Ukraine," said the Ukrainian leader, expressing gratitude for the Turkish "cooperation that helps protect lives, and Türkiye's clear attitude to all key aspects" of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.