• Ukrainian President Zelensky plans to visit Turkey to revive peace negotiations with Russia.
• No Russian representatives will attend the upcoming talks, according to Kremlin sources.
• The talks aim to address ongoing war strategies and prisoner exchanges.
• Zelensky emphasizes the urgency of ending the war and securing additional military support.
• U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's participation highlights ongoing American diplomatic efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to visit Turkey on Wednesday to renew efforts for peace negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war with Russia. Zelensky stated, "Bringing the end of the war closer with all our might is Ukraine's top priority," indicating Ukraine's insistence on proposing new solutions during the discussions. The talks will also focus on resuming prisoner exchanges, highlighting humanitarian concerns amid the conflict, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The meeting will reportedly include U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who aims to facilitate discussions between Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, the Kremlin has confirmed that no Russian representatives will be present for the talks, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that Russia remains open to negotiations but awaits specific proposals from Ukraine, according to AA and BBC.

The absence of Russian officials is a significant factor, as past conversations mediated by Turkey and the U.S. have seen representatives from both Ukraine and Russia come together, leading to limited but crucial steps like prisoner exchanges. As noted by Zelensky, the current focus is to “intensify negotiations” during these meetings to potentially shift the course of the conflict, emphasizing Ukraine's continuous appeal for international support as well, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.

As Zelensky embarks on a diplomatic tour to strengthen alliances across Europe, he recently secured a deal for 100 fighter jets from France and is pursuing additional military support to bolster Ukraine's defenses. This urgency is compounded by evolving battle conditions as Russia ramps up its military offensives, necessitating comprehensive strategies to maintain defensive capabilities throughout the winter, according to BBC and AA.