Erdogan's Bold Summit Plan: Zelenskyy, Putin, and Trump in Turkey?

Erdogan's Proposal for a Zelenskyy-Putin-Trump Summit: A New Chapter in Ukraine Negotiations? June 4, 2025 - A significant development in the ongoing Ukraine conflict emerged today with Turkish President Erdogan's proposal to host a summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and former US President Donald Trump. The proposal, which has been met with a positive response from the United States, follows a second round of talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul on June 2nd. These talks, lasting over an hour, focused on the exchange of prisoners of war and the urgent return of Ukrainian children deported to Russia. According to the video report, the Ukrainian delegation provided a list of children to the Russian side, demanding their immediate repatriation. While the video does not confirm the exact number of children, the urgency expressed by the Ukrainian representatives underscores the humanitarian crisis. A spokesperson for the White House stated, "The President has said he is open to this if it comes to that, but he wants both leaders and both sides to sit down at the negotiating table together." However, the video also highlights contrasting viewpoints. Dmitry Medvedev, Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, expressed skepticism, suggesting that Moscow's participation is not for genuine peace but to gain time and maintain a facade of dialogue. This perspective is echoed by Lindsey Graham, a US Senator, who tweeted congratulations to Medvedev for this rare moment of honesty, stating that Putin and Russia are not interested in peace. The contrasting views on the sincerity of the negotiations highlight the complexities of the ongoing conflict. The potential for a summit, however, offers a glimmer of hope for future progress.