Zelenskyy and U.S. Special Envoy to Visit Turkey in Renewed Push to Restart Peace Talks

Zelenskyy and U.S. Special Envoy to Visit Turkey in Renewed Push to Restart Peace Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday he will travel to Turkey this week as part of a renewed effort to jump-start negotiations to end Russia’s invasion, now entering its fourth year. A senior Turkish official told The Associated Press that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff will accompany Zelenskyy, while the Kremlin said it will not send a representative to the talks.

Turkey hosted lower-level meetings between Kyiv and Moscow earlier this year that resulted primarily in a prisoner exchange; broader international peace efforts led by the U.S. and other partners have so far produced no breakthrough. Zelenskyy, who visits Spain before traveling to Turkey, wrote on social media that Ukraine has "developed solutions" it plans to propose to partners but gave no further details.

"Doing everything possible to bring the end of the war closer is Ukraine’s top priority," Zelenskyy wrote.

U.S. officials appear to be increasing pressure on Moscow. New American sanctions targeting Russia’s crucial oil sector — including measures directed at Rosneft and Lukoil — are scheduled to take effect Friday. The measures are designed to choke a key revenue stream for the Kremlin and include the potential for secondary penalties on third parties that violate them, raising stakes for countries that continue to buy Russian oil, such as China and India.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that "there will be no Russian representative in Turkey" and that Moscow will await details of the Istanbul agenda. He added that Russia remains open to negotiations in principle.

Zelenskyy’s week includes additional diplomatic and defense moves. On Monday in Paris he signed a letter of intent to purchase up to 100 French Rafale fighters, along with drones and ground-to-air systems. On Tuesday he met in Madrid with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI and was scheduled to address Spain’s parliament.

Developments on the battlefield

Kyiv reported a surprise aerial strike on energy infrastructure in Russia-occupied parts of Donetsk. Denis Pushilin, the Russian-appointed head of the partially occupied region, called the attack "unprecedented," saying it damaged two thermal power plants and left many areas without electricity. He also said earlier drone strikes had cut power for about 500,000 consumers; occupied areas have been experiencing water shortages as well.

Ukrainian forces continue to resist Russian advances in Donetsk despite being outnumbered, officials say. In the northeastern Kharkiv region, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that a 17-year-old girl was killed and 10 people were wounded in a Russian missile strike on the town of Berestyn, about 110 kilometers (70 miles) from the Russian border.

In the central city of Dnipro, Russian drone attacks sparked multiple fires and injured two people, damaging six residential buildings and the local offices of public broadcaster Suspilne; the broadcaster said the office was empty at the time. Ukraine’s rail operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, reported damage to rail cars and infrastructure from the strike.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired four Iskander‑M ballistic missiles and launched 114 strike and decoy drones across the country overnight. The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 31 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions.

Associated Press reporters contributed to this dispatch. Suzan Fraser contributed from Ankara.