Trump's 'friend' Erdogan dials Putin to discuss Ukraine war, Turkey beats US at own exclusion game?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is mounting a parallel peace push on the Ukraine war, as he spoke with Vladimir Putin to revive the Black Sea grain corridor and explore a broader settlement just as Trump’s U.S.-led peace framework faces resistance in Europe and Kyiv. Erdogan told reporters he will brief Zelensky, Trump, and European leaders after his call, framing the grain deal as a pathway back to negotiations and hinting at a larger Turkish role in post-war security, including possible stabilization forces in Gaza and mediation in Sudan. His initiative comes as EU states circulate a counter‑proposal to Trump’s 28‑point plan and NATO allies debate troop levels, sanctions, and territorial concessions, putting Ankara in a unique position between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv.