ANKARA, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the second round of talks planned in Istanbul should have strong delegations to "maintain momentum toward a peaceful resolution."
In a phone call with Zelensky, Erdogan emphasized Türkiye's continued efforts to help establish a just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, the Turkish presidency said in a statement.
He said that holding talks at the leadership level following inter-delegation meetings would contribute to the peace process and emphasized the importance of not delaying such discussions.
He welcomed the recent prisoner exchange, reached by Moscow and Kiev during their first round of talks in Istanbul, as a positive outcome of the negotiations.
Erdogan said addressing a potential ceasefire during the second round of talks in Istanbul would lay the groundwork for peace.
The second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine is scheduled to be held in Istanbul on June 2, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
The Russian delegation, to be led by Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, will hand over a draft peace memorandum to Ukraine during the meeting, Lavrov said.
Russia and Ukraine held direct talks in Istanbul on May 16, their first face-to-face negotiations since March 2022. ■
