Zelensky goes on tour to drum up more support

UKRAINE'S President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will travel to Turkey this week in an attempt to jump-start negotiations on ending Russia's war in Ukraine, which began nearly four years ago.

- ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press

United States special envoy Steve Witkoff will join Mr Zelensky in Turkey, a senior Turkish official has said, but the Kremlin said that Russia will not be sending anyone.

The talks will be held in Ankara and will centre on how to establish a ceasefire and a lasting settlement, as well as Ukraine-Turkey relations, Burhanettin Duran, Turkey's head of presidential communications, said.

Turkey provided a setting for low-level talks between Ukraine and Russia earlier this year, though the only significant progress in Istanbul was on exchanging prisoners of war. US-led international peace efforts have brought no breakthrough, either.

Mr Zelensky said that he would be in Turkey today, a day after visiting Spain, where he was seeking pledges of new support, yesterday.