ISTANBUL, August 12. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told Vladimir Zelensky that his country is ready to host a summit on Ukraine, the Turkish president’s administration said after the two held a phone call.

"Turkey is ready to host a leaders’ summit. The establishment of working groups on military, humanitarian, and political issues will open up a path to a summit meeting," Erdogan was quoted as saying.

"President Erdogan held a phone call with Vladimir Zelensky at the Ukrainian side’s request. He noted that the progress that has been reached during the direct Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul is crucially important and expressed hope that the next rounds of talks will yield significant results toward a ceasefire and a lasting peace," Erdogan’s office said.

The Turkish leader all voiced support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Istanbul hosted the third round of direct Russian-Ukrainian talks on July 23. During the 40-minute talks that were preceded by a tete-a-tete meeting between the delegation heads, Vladimir Medinsky of Russia and Rustem Umerov of Ukraine, the sides discussed their positions laid down in their memorandums.

The meeting yielded an agreement to exchange not only military but also civilians. Russia proposed to set up three working groups to address political, military, and humanitarian issues. Apart from that, Moscow offered Kiev to transfer 3,000 more bodies of Ukrainian troops and suggested that the practice of short humanitarian pauses be resumed along the frontline to collect the wounded and bodies of those killed.

According to Medinsky, a decision on the fourth round of talks will be made after the third round’s agreements are implemented.