Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss the situation around Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Aug. 20.
According to the Kremlin, the dictator “shared his views” on talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska. The Russian side also noted Turkey’s role in facilitating peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul.
The Kremlin said Putin and Erdoğan also discussed “some issues of the bilateral agenda.”
Earlier, Erdoğan backed Putin’s Aug. 15 meeting with Trump in Alaska, saying Turkey was ready to fully support efforts to establish peace.
On Aug. 19, Turkish media reported that Istanbul had offered Ataturk Airport as the venue for a trilateral meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. Turkey is the only country politically capable of organizing such a summit on short notice.