SHOTLIST: ISTANBUL, TURKIYE (MARCH 29, 2022) (TURKISH PRESIDENCY - ACCESS ALL) 1. TURKISH PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH OFFICIALS ARRIVING ROOM 2. TURKISH PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN SPEAKING 3. TURKISH TOP DIPLOMAT MEETS RUSSIAN, UKRAINIAN DELEGATES AFTER NEW ROUND OF PEACE TALKS FILE FOOTAGE - ISTANBUL, TURKIYE - MARCH 29, 2022: As Türkiye gears up to host renewed peace talks between Ukraine and Russia on Thursday, attention is once again centered on Ankara’s ongoing efforts to mediate between the two warring sides. The initiative gained momentum on Sunday when Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed resuming negotiations in Istanbul, the venue of the last direct talks between the delegations in 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Kyiv accepts Moscow's proposal to resume peace talks in Istanbul and is awaiting a cease-fire declaration starting Monday. His statement came after US President Donald Trump urged Ukraine to agree to Putin's proposal. In a phone conversation with Putin held the same day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the Russian leader’s support for restarting the process from where it had paused in Istanbul, reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to peace efforts. As preparations for the potential talks intensify, focus is now on Türkiye’s continued role as a key facilitator of diplomatic dialogue and de-escalation in the ongoing conflict: - Antalya and Istanbul talks Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, Türkiye swiftly took significant steps to help preserve stability in the Black Sea region. Ankara called on both Kyiv and Moscow to resolve the conflict through dialogue and expressed its readiness to support any initiative, including mediation efforts, aimed at paving the way for peace. In March 2022, Türkiye hosted the first high-level contact between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukraine’s then-Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Mediterranean city of Antalya. The Antalya meeting was later followed by talks held by Russia and Ukraine officials in Istanbul from March 28 to 30, 2022, where the two parties agreed on a draft peace agreement. However, Ukraine later unilaterally withdrew from the peace process. Though the talks failed to halt the war, they established Türkiye’s credentials as a potential mediator. - Black Sea grain In July 2022, Türkiye and the UN brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Russia and Ukraine to unblock exports of grain and fertilizers from Ukrainian ports. This landmark agreement allowed the safe export of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers from Ukrainian Black Sea ports amid the ongoing war. Turkish President Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended the signature ceremony of the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports Document at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul along with representatives from Russia and Ukraine. As part of the deal, Türkiye coordinated with Moscow and Kyiv to open a corridor from the Ukrainian port city of Odesa to resume global grain shipments, which were stuck due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Following the agreement, several world leaders and organizations expressed gratitude to Erdogan and Türkiye for the mediation efforts. Under the landmark deal, more than 33 million tons of grain were shipped from Ukrainian ports, preventing a global food crisis. However, in July 2023, Russia suspended its participation in the deal, claiming that the Russian portion of the agreement was not being implemented. Moscow complained that the West failed to meet its obligations on Russia's grain exports, and that not enough Ukrainian grain was going to countries in need. It added that restrictions on payments, logistics, and insurance had hampered its shipments. - Prisoner exchange In September 2022, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia jointly mediated a major prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia. President Erdogan announced that Russia and Ukraine had exchanged 200 prisoners as a result of Türkiye's mediation and diplomatic exchanges with the leaders of the two countries. Zelenskyy confirmed the exchange of 215 Ukrainian soldiers in a video statement and thanked Türkiye for its role. Russia, on the other hand, also said 55 of its servicemen were released by Kyiv. The exchange of another 10 prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine was brokered by Saudi Arabia, where two Americans and five British citizens were released along with a Moroccan, a Croatian, and a Swedish national. - High-level meetings and visits Over the last three years, Erdogan's diplomatic posture has been bolstered by a series of high-profile meetings with both Putin and Zelenskyy. The Turkish president has repeatedly offered for Türkiye to host peace talks and do whatever it can to promote a resolution between Russia and Ukraine, as Türkiye has the distinction of enjoying good relations with both countries. During his visit to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on August 18, 2022, Erdogan became the only NATO leader to have visited both Ukraine and Russia since the war began. His continued dialogue with leaders on both sides has positioned Türkiye as a key diplomatic actor, actively engaged in mediation efforts amid the ongoing conflict. In September 2023, Erdogan travelled to the Russian coastal city of Sochi for a face-to-face meeting with Putin. The potential revival of the Black Sea Grain Initiative was high on the agenda, with Erdogan expressing confidence that the agreement could be salvaged if its flaws were addressed. Diplomatic momentum continued into July 2024, when Erdogan met Putin again on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana. Their discussion reportedly focused on both bilateral issues and broader regional security concerns, including renewed efforts for mediation between Russia and Ukraine. The Turkish president has also maintained regular communication with Kyiv. Zelenskyy visited Türkiye in March 2024 to met Erdogan. The two leaders met again in September 2024 at the Turkish House in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where the Turkish president reiterated that the war could be resolved through diplomacy, provided Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty were respected. In February 2025, during a joint press conference in Ankara with the visiting Ukrainian president, Erdogan said Türkiye would be an “ideal host” for direct or multilateral talks to help end the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine, potentially involving the US. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan later echoed Erdogan’s position, saying Türkiye is ready to host further talks and support any initiative that contributes to peace. The pledge was reaffirmed during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Ankara earlier this year. In March, Zelenskyy had highlighted Türkiye’s potential role in monitoring a newly brokered truce in the Black Sea, as Russia and Ukraine to halt military strikes in the region and on energy infrastructure.