Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to travel to Turkey in an attempt to revive negotiations to end the ongoing conflict, a diplomatic effort that proceeds without a Russian delegation present. The Kremlin has confirmed it will not be sending a representative to the talks, framing the discussions as preliminary and asserting it will await their outcomes before deciding on engagement.
The upcoming talks in Ankara are slated to center on establishing a ceasefire and a lasting settlement. A top Turkish spokesman stated the discussions would also cover Ukraine-Turkey relations. While Ukraine seeks to "reinvigorate negotiations," the Kremlin has made it clear that "there will be no Russian representative in Turkey," with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that Moscow will await information on what is discussed before determining its position. This follows a pattern of talks hosted by Turkey earlier this year, which yielded little progress beyond prisoner exchanges.
President Zelenskyy's visit to Turkey is part of a broader diplomatic tour, following stops in other European capitals. In Paris, he signed a letter of intent to purchase up to 100 Rafale warplanes from France, and in Madrid, Spain pledged aid worth nearly $1 billion for defense and reconstruction. Concurrently, the United States is preparing to impose heavy new sanctions on Russia's oil industry, targeting companies like Rosneft and Lukoil, which are designed to pressure President Vladimir Putin's government by curtailing a key source of revenue.
As diplomatic efforts continue, military actions persist on the ground. Ukraine launched a surprise aerial attack on energy infrastructure in the Russian occupied parts of the Donetsk region. The Russian-appointed head of the region reported an "unprecedented" attack that damaged two thermal power stations and left many areas without power, affecting hundreds of thousands of civilians. Russian drone attacks also sparked fires in the central city of Dnipro, damaging infrastructure.
President Zelenskyy faces significant internal political challenges as he pursues negotiations. A substantial $100 million embezzlement and kickback scandal involving top officials and Ukraine's state nuclear power company has led to the resignation of two members of his cabinet and caused public outrage. The political pressure intensified when former President Petro Poroshenko and his opposition party members demanded the dismissal of the entire Ukrainian government, halting a parliamentary session in protest. Zelenskyy has scheduled meetings with senior government and parliamentary officials to address these domestic issues.