Lula Urges Putin to Join Peace Talks in Istanbul
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced his intent to encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul, Turkiye. This move adds to growing international pressure on Moscow to pursue negotiations and bring an end to the ongoing war, now entering its third year.
Lula is scheduled to visit Moscow after participating in a regional forum in China. During this diplomatic tour, Brazil and China released a joint statement emphasizing that direct dialogue is the only viable solution to the conflict.
Zelenskyy had previously challenged Putin to meet him in Turkiye, suggesting that the Russian leader’s absence would signal a lack of genuine interest in peace. Zelenskyy also appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump, currently visiting the Middle East, to join the discussions in Istanbul.
President Trump stated that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would attend the talks. A State Department official later confirmed that Rubio is expected in Istanbul on Friday.
While the Kremlin has not confirmed whether Putin will attend personally, it has stated that a Russian delegation will be present. Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov expressed openness to serious negotiations but questioned Kyiv’s willingness to engage constructively.
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