Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday that his country is working to organize a meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul, as part of diplomatic efforts to find a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Gazeta Sinjali reports.
“This week, by holding talks with both Putin and Trump, we will try to see whether it is possible to bring these leaders together in Istanbul,” Erdogan stated after Friday prayers in Istanbul.
His comments come just days after the third round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations was held in Istanbul, where both sides exchanged proposals on the next steps in the peace process.
President Erdogan made the remarks during the 17th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025 in Istanbul, where he also spoke about Turkey’s significant advancements in the defense sector.
“The progress achieved through IDEF in the defense industry holds a special place on the global stage,” he emphasized, adding that Turkey has started receiving substantial defense orders and has greatly expanded its capabilities.
“When we took office, our defense industry had a potential of about $20 billion, but now it has reached a potential of approximately $80 billion, and we hope to become even stronger,” Erdogan stated.
