Erdoğan and Trump discuss Ukraine war as trilateral talks near
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump held a phone call on November 7 about the Russia-Ukraine war and other regional issues. Erdoğan expressed hope that stronger diplomacy would yield results and reiterated Turkey's support for ending the war, while trilateral US-Ukraine-Russia talks are scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi.
Key points
- Erdoğan and Trump spoke by phone on November 7.
- They discussed the Russia-Ukraine war, US-Turkey relations, and the Middle East.
- Erdoğan said Turkey will continue taking part in efforts to end the war.
- Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- US-Ukraine-Russia talks are scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi.
- The proposed agenda includes de-escalation in energy and maritime issues, prisoner releases, and a possible trilateral summit.
- Erdoğan said he wanted to hold talks with Putin about ending the war on November 5.
Why it matters
The conversation underscores Turkey's continuing diplomatic role in the effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Zelensky's readiness to meet Putin, along with Erdoğan's willingness to facilitate talks in Turkey, could affect the prospects for negotiations, while the upcoming Abu Dhabi talks may produce concrete steps on de-escalation and prisoner releases.
What happened
Erdoğan and Trump held a phone call on November 7, discussing the war in Ukraine, the Middle East, bilateral US-Turkey relations, and other regional and global developments. Erdoğan called for stronger cooperation with both Kyiv and Moscow and said Turkey would continue participating in diplomatic initiatives to end the war. He also urged the United States and Iran to reduce tensions and resolve their disputes diplomatically.
The call came ahead of scheduled US-Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11. Their planned agenda includes initial steps toward de-escalation in energy and maritime affairs, releasing prisoners of war, and a possible trilateral summit format. Zelensky said earlier discussions between delegations and technical groups had not resolved outstanding questions, increasing the importance of high-level dialogue.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting emphasizes the diplomatic implications of the call: Turkey's continued participation, Erdoğan's call for engagement with both Kyiv and Moscow, and Zelensky's readiness to meet Putin. The coverage also highlights the approaching trilateral talks and the unresolved questions that delegation-level and technical discussions failed to settle.
Background
Erdoğan said on November 5 that he wanted to hold talks with Putin about ending the war. On October 31, Zelensky visited Istanbul and discussed with Erdoğan the planned US-Ukraine-Russia negotiations and the possibility of holding further talks in Turkey. The trilateral talks are scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11.