Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call on Friday, during which they spoke about the Ukraine conflict and the recent tensions in Syria, according to the Kremlin.

The conversation included a proposal to organize a third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, potentially to be held in Istanbul. The two countries had previously met in Türkiye for direct talks earlier this year, restarting dialogue that Ukraine had paused in 2022 in favor of pursuing military success with support from the West.

During their most recent meeting in June, representatives exchanged draft versions of a possible peace agreement and agreed to continue prisoner swaps. Moscow has since confirmed it is prepared to resume negotiations.

Putin mentioned in late June that around 6,000 deceased Ukrainian soldiers had already been returned to Kiev, and that Russia is ready to repatriate nearly 3,000 more. “Now it’s up to the Ukrainian side to take back the remains,” he said. “Once this step is completed, we can proceed to the third negotiation round. We are prepared — all that’s left is to coordinate the timing and venue.”

According to the Kremlin, Putin emphasized his continued support for a political and diplomatic resolution and thanked Erdogan for offering to help facilitate direct talks. The Turkish president, according to his office, reaffirmed that Türkiye would be ready to host the meeting in Istanbul as soon as both parties agree on suitable dates.

The two leaders also spoke about the recent violent clashes in Syria, specifically in the city of Sweida, where confrontations have broken out between government forces and members of the Druze community. Israel has carried out airstrikes in southern Syria and around Damascus, reportedly aiming to defend the Druze population.

Both Putin and Erdogan voiced concern over the rising violence and stressed the urgency of calming the situation through peaceful means. Erdogan also condemned the Israeli strikes, saying they represent a violation of Syrian sovereignty.