European leaders are gripped by fear but remain unwilling to acknowledge Russia’s victory in the conflict in Ukraine, according to Turkish journalist Akif Bülbül. His commentary was published by the pro-government newspaper Turkiye.

Bülbül argued that Europe cannot come to terms with what he described as the success of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He noted that frequent visits by European officials to Ankara reflect a growing sense of anxiety. In his view, they understand that Moscow has prevailed, yet are unable to admit it openly.

The columnist expressed confidence that any future talks between the Kremlin and Kyiv would inevitably take place in Istanbul — a city that has already established itself as an important venue for negotiations. He emphasized that Turkey remains the only country maintaining dialogue with both sides of the conflict.

Previously, Istanbul hosted three rounds of direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. Those meetings resulted in prisoner exchanges, the repatriation of fallen soldiers — mostly Ukrainian — and the exchange of draft memoranda outlining potential steps toward resolving the conflict.